nL3 




A PASTORAL ADDRESS 



BY THE 



RIGHT REV. WM. MEADE, D.D, 



TO THE 



MimSTERS AND MEMBERS 



OF THE 



IN THE 



3B(0cm of ^ivaittm. 




mxt 2Lato of jpropcrtcon in the €hurcii of C5<!^3i 



Considered in 



A PASTORAL ADDRESS 



OF 



The Right Rev. WILLIAM MEADE, D. D., 



BISHOP OF THE 

In I he Hiocese of Virginia, 

TO THE MINISTERS AND MEMBERS THEREOF, 

IN COMPLIANCE 

WITH THE 27th CANON OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION. 



ALEXANDRIA: 
PRINTED AT THE SOU: CHURCHMAN OFFICE. 



1843. 




" We see the whole -world and each part thereofj so compacted^ 
that as long as each thing performeth only that work which is natu- 
ral unto it, it thereby preserveth both other things and itself also." 

Hooker. 

'■' Measure is that which perfecteth all things, because every thing 
is for some end, neither can anything be available to any end, which 
is not proportionable thereto, and to proportion, as well excesses, as 
defects are opposite." Hooker. 

We may not so in any one special kind admire her, (wisdom) that 
we disgrace her in any other, but let all her ways be according to 
their place and degree adored." Hooker. 

" If we love our own and the Church's peace, there be two things 
I conceive we should most carefully avoid: the bestowing too great 
zeal upon small things, and too much confidence of opinion upon 
doubtful things." Archbishop Leighton. 

''But this is the malice of Satan, that when he cannot overthrow 
the greatest matters, he will raise great troubles in trifles." 

Bishop Pilkington. 



ERRATA. 

Page 9, 10th line from the bottom, read Zine, instead of like, and 
cuts^ instead of cut. 

Page 15, 14th line, after perhaps, read one. 

Page 19, 19th line, period after word, instead of semicolon after 
baptism; 2d line from bottom, comma after so. 

Page 32, 14th line, read valiant^ instead of violent; 23d line from 
bottom, read clearly, instead of faintly. 

Page 38, 22d line, read pervert, instead of prevent. 

Page 39, 9th line, read as to, instead of and. 



Pastoral Address of the Right i2ei?. William Meade, Bishop of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia, to the 
Ministers and Members tJiereof. 

Dear Brethren in Christ : 

By the 27th Canon of our General Convention, 
it is declared to be " proper that every Bishop of this Church shall 
deliver at least once in three years, a charge to the Clergy of his 
Diocese, unless prevented by reasonable cause ; and that from time 
to time, he i?hall address to the people of his Diocese pastoral letters 
on some points of Christian doctrine, worship, or manners." 

In compliance with this expressed wish of the Church, I have en- 
deavored, not without looking up to God for guidance and help, to 
prepare something which might answer at one and the same time for 
both the objects contemplated in the Canon. To ministers and 
people there is but one religion. Divine truth is the same to us all, 
and all are equally, because infinitely concerned in it. In one re- 
spect we of the ministry differ from the other brethren, in that we 
have to seek this truth not only for our own salvation, but that we 
may teach others the right way ; which ought to make us very anx- 
ious to find it out, lest we be blind leaders of the blind. It should 
however be a great comfort to all of us to know, that if M^e diligently 
seek for truth in the sincere love of it, asking the assistance of Hea- 
ven, "having no other plot in our religion (as an old writer ex- 
presses it) than to serve God, and save our souls," we shall not be 
disappointed. We may not be able to find out God unto perfection 
in all things, since he is a God who in some things hideth himself 
from man, it being a part of his glory to conceal a matter from the 
too prying curiosity of men or angels ; and there will be, after all 
our searching, some things in the scriptures hard to be understood 
and liable to be perverted ; still if we are not desirous to be " over- 
wise" we may without doubt find that highway to Heaven which is 
so plain that wayfaring men, though fools, need not err therein. 
The great truths essential to our holiness here, and happiness hereaf- 
ter, are written in the word of God as with a sunbeam, so that he 
who runs may read. It was one of the proofs of the divine mission 
of our Lord, that the gospel he taught was equally for the poor as for 
the rich, which was not the case with many other religions ; and 
the poor not only gladly received it, but understood it, as set before 
them in the simple language of himself and disciples. So it has been 
in every age by those who have had access to his word, and to 
whom that word has been preached in its simplicity. As to the great 
soul-saving doctrines and duties of religion, theie is not merely the 
strong concurring testimony of the first ages, but we may say of 
every age, and of none more than of our own, among the great body 



4 



of those who call themselves Christians. Tlie creeds of the first 
ages, have been the creeds of all ages. Heresies there have been 
numerous indeed, and dreadful corruptions in practice, according to 
prophecy, and yet the gates of Hell have not been permitted to pre- 
vail. Though Anti-Christ be seen sitting in the very temple of God, 
and as God — yet the true God of the temple has not deserted it, but 
continues from time to time, now, as of old, to drive out those who 
pollute it; and the zeal of the Lord of hosts will one day purge it 
entirely. 

As in the worst times of Israel there were some who kept the 
truth of God in their hearts, and bowed not the knee to Baal, so 
has God ever, in answer to the prayer of the Son for his Church, 
been sanctifying it with his truth, even with that word which is truth, 
and which maketh the ignorant wise unto salvation. But it is often 
asked, if the word of God is so plain and so effectual — if "pure re- 
ligion and undefiled" is so clearly set forth in the scriptures — if all 
who desire it may know "what it is the Lord requireth of them" in 
order to salvation; why are there so many different opinions and 
ways among Christians, even among those who should keep know- 
ledge, when men seek the law at their mouth. For such differences, 
which are generally magnified beyond the actual reality, various 
reasons may be found in the weakness and corruption of our 
nature, the prejudices of birth and education, the want of a sincere de- 
sire for truth, the influence of selfishness and party spirit. But even 
when sincere and pious persons seek to find out the whole truth, 
and have actually embraced what is most important, yet do they differ 
not a little in their estimate of the relative value of different parts 
of the great scheme; and some, by forming a wrong judgment, dis- 
turb the proportion of the whole, thereby throwing into confusion 
what God appointed to be all order and harmony, and greatly weak- 
ening the effect of what he designed to be mighty power. God is em- 
phatically the God of order in all his works, and any change in the 
due proportion established m ustbe productive of evil, and mightlead to 
the crush of worlds. Some of the lavvs of matter are known to us, 
well enough at least to satisfy us of this truth ; and as there is a won- 
derful analogy between the laws and operations of the natural and 
moral worlds, it is the part of wisdom to learn a lesson therefrom. 

"Nature is Christian, preaches to mankind, 
And bids dead matter aid us in our creed." 

"We see the whole world, (says Hooker, our great Ecclesiastical 
politician) and each part thereof, so compacted, that as long as each 
thing performeth only that work which is natural unto it, it thereby 
preserveth both other things and itself also. Contrarywise let any 
principal thing, as the sun, the moon, any one of the heavens or ele- 
ments, but once cease, or fail or swerve, and who doth not easily 
conceive, that the sequel thereof would be ruin both to itself and 
whatsoever dependeth on it." And again, reasoning " from nature 
up to nature"'s God," he says, " Measure is that which perfecteth all 
things, because every thing is for some end ; neither can any thing 



5 



be available to any end, which is not proportionable thereto ; and 
to proportion, as well excesses, as defects, are opposite. Again, for 
as much as nothing doth perish, but only through excess or de- 
fect of that, the due-proportioned measure whereof doth give per- 
fection, it followeth, that measure is likewise the preservative of all 
things." In consistency with this, when speakingof the various ways 
in which wisdom teacheth, he says We may not so in any one 
special kind admire her, that we disgrace her in any other; but let 
all her ways be according to their place and degree adored." 

The truth and importance of the principle of which ^ve are speak- 
ing, may be illustrated and enforced by a reference to the human 
body, so fearfully and wonderfully made by the hand of a rlivine 
architect, and to which the Church of God in its proportion of faith, 
its order, its gifts and graces, is likened. All its members, though 
necessary to its perfection, are not so to its existence, and therefore 
are not all equally honorable. No one, however, may boast itself 
against another, saying I have no need of thee; but all must perform 
the office assigned, and all receive the honor and cultivation which 
are due. The head, as the seat of the understanding, and the heart, as 
the seat of life, must be most carefully guarded. A blow on the one 
may annihilate reason, an arrow or ball piercing the other, or its 
action by any cause for a moment stopped, death spreads through 
all the members: ; while, as to the others, though they may by neglect 
or violence be maimed and much injured, the man may still sur- 
vive, and perform the chief duties ol life. Necessity indeed seems 
to require in carrying on the occupations of life, that some of the 
members of the body should be more cultivated than others, which 
is manifested by their greater prominence, strength, and agility: but 
in order to the greatest perfection of the whole man all should 
receive their due proportion of exercise and culture. 

The same is true of the inward, spiritual, and more important part 
of man. All the faculties and affections thereof deserve culture ac- 
cording to the measure of their importance, and if one of them 
receive undue attention, the other must suffer proportional loss. 
So it is also as to the relative importance of the two parts of our 
system, the corporeal and the spiritual. The body may be so pam- 
pered and increased by undue attention, indulgence, and high living, 
that the mind enclosed in its fatness may be smothered, and become 
inert and useless. On the contrary the mind may be, and has been, 
the object of such exclusive attention that the body becomes weak- 
ened and diseased, till at length by the law of reaction, the mind it- 
self suffers, and that perfection of our nature, the "mens sana in 
corpore sano," a sound mind in a sound body, is forfeited. The same 
may be said of some of the avocations of life, where the neglect of 
this rule is attended with the loss of those benefits which belong to 
its observance. In agriculture there are those who bestow undue at- 
tention upon lesser matters, as the mere ornament of grounds and 
gardens, to the neglect of the fields which yield the solid nutri- 
ment to man and beast, until all must be parked with; w^hile others 



6 



neglecting the enclosures which protect the growing crops, or the 
barns which are needed to preserve them, lose much of the benefits 
of their hard labor. So also in the profession of law, there are men of 
strong minds who, disdaining trifles, seize upon the strong points 
of the case, pressing them to the utmost, rightly judging that it is by 
the weight, not the number, of the arguments that a cause should be 
decided; wliile others of smaller minds weary out both judge and 
jury with a tedious enumeration of trivial considerations, relying on 
the number rather than the force thereof. 

And yet men of strong minds should not forget that these infe- 
rior points belong to the case, and that many a cause has been lost 
by too great neglect of them. Jf in all the aflairs of man this rule 
of proportion should be observed — if there be truth in the saying 
of an ancient philosopher, that "every thing, both great and small, 
should fulfil the task wdiich destiny hath set down," how peculiarly 
applicable to man is it, as to the most important of all things with which 
he has to do- — that is, religion — w^hich consists in things to be be- 
lieved, and things to be done — all of them however differing more 
or less in character and importance, and requiring a corresponding 
proportion of time, thought, and zeal to be bestowed upon them. 
There are diversities of gifts though but one Spirit; — divers orders 
though but one ministry; and Christ himself most plainly declares 
that there are some things more, and some less important, the former 
of which ought to be done, the latter not left undone — that is, the 
former done first, chiefly, with the greatest zeal; the latter not left 
undone, except when interfering with the former, or prevented by 
some sufflcient necessity. 

The Spirit, speaking of the whole Church of God, compares it at 
one time to the human body, composed of various members, having 
each its proper office and differing in honor; and at another, to a 
house whose foundation or chief cornerstone is Christ, and all 
Christians are different parts fitly joined together as living stones, 
making one great temple. 

As to the former comparison, it has been well remarked (by Hook- 
er) that the "Church being a mystical body must be proportionable 
in all its parts, or it cannot stand;" and as to the latter, a house, 
whether we regard its beauty, utility or strength, must be built ac- 
cording to rule, and especially have a foundation stronger and broader 
than its top. 

"The inverted Pyramid can never stand." — 

The apostle Paul, in speaking of the Church as the mystical body 
of Christ — that is the blessed company of believers — exhorts each 
member of the same "not to think more highly of himself than he 
ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath given 
to every man the measure of faitli." Now what is true of those 
who are ministers and members of the Church, is also true of their 
gifts and graces — and of the duties, doctrines, ordinances, and cere- 
monies of religion. Prophesying, that is, preaching, or expounding 



7 



scripture, was preferred by the apostle to all other gifts, even though 
miraculous; and yet he has a more excellent way than that to show 
us — namely, charity, which is greater than faith and hope, great as 
they were. 

A neglect of proper regard to this distinction, so manifest in God's 
word, has we believe been productive of much evil to the cause of 
religion, just as the undue devotedness of our hearts to certain earthly 
objects is destructive of our comfort- The man whose mind and 
heart are under the direction of wisdom is one, who, 

"Loving in proportion, loves in peace." 

But it may be asked, can any thing coming from God in the way of 
revelation and command be in any sense small? Is not he accursed who 
continuethnot in all things — are we not warned against despising what 
we call little things — does not our Lord himself declare that he who 
shall break one of the least of his commandments, and shall teach men 
so, shall be counted least in the kingdom of Heaven — that is, unworthy 
of it? Does not the infiniteness of God, and the inconceivable im- 
portance of every thing bearing upon our eternal interests, stamp an 
infinite value on the very least of his directions, so that even an 
idle word shall be brought into judgement? Does not the very 
easiness of a command make disobedience the more criminal? And 
is it for us to value and graduate the appointments of God, say- 
ing which may, and which may not be neglected with impunity? 
To all this it is replied, that though God is an infinite being, 
and his !aws of infinite value, because all tending to an infinite 
good, yet are they given to a finite being, who has only a limited 
portion of time, thought, afiection, and labor to bestow upon them, 
and he must see and divide himself rightly amongst them all accord- 
ing to their relative importance, ascertaining this as well as he can 
from the word of God, by the help of sound judgment and observa- 
tion on the effects thereof Should he err and bestow too much on 
one, he takes so much from others, thereby wronging his own soul 
and injuring the cause of religion. The ministers of religion espe- 
cially ought to attend to this, as it is required of them rightly to 
divide the word of God, and after our Lord's example to say which 
are the greatest commandments — which are the weightier matters of 
the law, not to be dispensed with under the penalty of eternal ruin; 
and at the same time to show how none must be neglected, or have un- 
due partiality displayed towards them. In all ages there have been 
those who have fixed upon some favorite doctrine, precept, or external 
rite of religion, and magnified it into undue importance to the neglect 
of all others ; and this has been one fruitful source of heresies and 
schisms in the Church of God. It is also notorious that men are 
more prone to lay the emphasis on small things, rather than great; 
on things external, rather than internal; and on things dark and doubt- 
ful, rather than those clear and undisputed. There is an admirable 
passage in the writings of that eminent servant of God, Archbishop 
Leighton, which it could be wished were engraven on every heart. 



8 



It was written at a time when disputes ran high between parties 
within our own Church, and also with those who had separated from 
it. 

^'Doubtless (he says) the things wlierein we agree are incomparably 
greater than those wherein we disagree ; and therefore should be 
more powerful to unite us, than the other to divide us. But to res- 
train myself and stop here, if Ave love our own and the Church's 
peace, there be two things, I conceive, we should most carefully avoid 
— the hesfoicing too great zeal upon small things^ and too much con- 
Jidcnce of opinion upon douUful things.'''' 

Bishop Pilkington also, one of the good reformers, in protesting 
against compulsion as to some of the vestments, says most truly, 
^'But this is the malice of Satan, that when he cannot overthrow the 
greatest matters, he will raise great troubles in trifles. Peter and 
Paul agreed in the chiefest articles of our salvation; and yet they 
differed so about meats, that Paul withstood and rebuked him open- 
ly. Paul and Barnabas fell at much bitter contention whether 3Iark 
should go with them or not, so that they parted companies and went 
either of them sundry ways. God defend us from the like." (See 
letter to the Earl of Leicester.) 

The want of a proper regulation of the mind to teach us the right 
use of this law of proportion, is happily set forth by the excellent 
Hooker in showmg how our fancies or affections mislead us in judg- 
ing of scripture. '"Pythagoras (he says) by bringing up his scholars 
in the speculative knowledge of numbers, made their conceits there- 
in so strong, that when they came to the contemplation of things 
natural, they imagined that in every particular thing, they even 
beheld, as it were with their eyes, how the elements of number gave 
essence and being to the works of nature. A thing in reason impos- 
sible, which notwithstanding through their misfashioned preconceit ap- 
peared to them no less certain than if nature had v/ritten it in the fore- 
heads of all the creatures of God." He then shows how those who 
were endeavoring to destroy the Church in order to build up their 
own on its ruins, imagined that in every scripture they could see 
the exact pattern of their own discipline, even in smallest matters. 
Contending against finding any such exact pattern in many things 
clearly set down in scripture, he justly says, ''Most sure it is that 
when men's affections do form their opinions, they are in defence of 
error more earnest a great deal, than, for the most part, sound believ- 
ers in the maintenance of the truth, apprehended according to the 
nature of that evidence which scripture yieldeth : which being in 
some things, plain, as in the principles of Christian doctrine; in 
some things as in these matters of discipline, more dark and doubt- 
ful, formeth correspondently that inward assent which God's most 
gracious spirit, worketh by it as by his effectual instrument." (See 
preface to his Ecclesiastical Polity.) 

It is also a fact which deserves to be mentioned, that the young 
are most generally apt to be positive and violent on such subjects. 
As their outward vision is far more distinct than that of the aged, 



9 



seeing things distant, as if near at hand, so do they rely on their 
mental vision, and cannot agree to see some things as through a glass 
darkly, but all things face to face — sometimes speaking slightingly 
indeed, even of older persons who are more doubtful. This certainty 
of belief sometimes leads to greater violence of word and action, 
which has injured the good cause of religion, it has been well said 
that " when men become so old as to confer with grey hairs, they 
usually begin to abate something of their violence." 

Bishop Burnet, in his preface to the Exposition of the thirty-nine 
articles, has an excellent remark on this subject, worthy the consider- 
ation of all ministers of religion, indeed of all men, but of them es- 
pecially. " When a man is inclined by strong arguments to an opin- 
ion against which he sees difficulties which he cannot resolve, he 
ought either to suspend his assent; or if he sees a superiority of ar- 
gument on one side, he may be determined by that, though he can- 
not satisfy even himself in the objections that are against it. In that 
case he ought to reflect upon the weakness and defects of his facul- 
ties, which cannot rise up to full and comprehensive ideas of things, 
especially in that which relates to the attributes of God and to his 
counsels or acts." And if any feel still unwilling to confess them- 
selves thus unable to master the difficult and doubtful things of reli- 
gion, we might again quote the testimony of one, not dull of mind 
to perceive the truth, nor fearful of heart to declare it. Mr. Hooker 
says, "When God himself doth speak those things which, either for 
height or sublimity of matter, or else for secresie of performance, 
we are not able to reach unto, as we may be ignorant without danger^ 
so it is no disgrace to confess that we are ignorantP 

But we may rise still higher in our authorities for humility in re- 
gard to things difficult and doubtful which occur in God's word, and 
the application thereof. One of the sacred writers (St. Peter) acknow- 
ledges in relation to another (St. Paul) that there are some things 
hard to be understood — actually hard — he doubtless meant even at that 
day — which the unlearned and unstable, who w^ill pry into them, and 
whose hearts are not fully set upon the truth, wrest to their own de- 
struction. The more sober-minded do not insist upon understand- 
ing these hard things, being satisfied with the plain things which 
make us wise unto salvation. The stable, also, who are established 
in great principles, cannot be moved by a few difficult questions; 
such, for instance, as those about the divine decrees, and things in- 
dispensable to Church membership, and the like, which cut off" the 
schismatic and the heretic. It ought to be observed also on this 
subject, that those are most positive and intolerant, who most impli- 
citly take their faith from others, instead of drawing it by careful 
study and humble prayer from the word of God. The Romanists, 
who blindly take everything from the infallible oracle of their Church, 
think it impossible they can be wrong, and are therefore disposed most 
violently to condemn others ; and those who approach nearest in sen- 
timent to the Church of Rome in this blind reliance on others, are 
more like it also in their judgments on those who differ from them. 
2 



10 



Before dismissing this more general train of remark, I would cau- 
tion against one error, into which we are liable to fall in the appli- 
cation of this law of proportion. There are some good persons, and 
some indolent ones, and some ignorant ones, who adopt a very com- 
pendious, and easy, and, as they suppose, charitable method of set- 
tling all differences, and determining what is truth and duty. If it 
be a personal matter, they say both must be equally wrong, without 
investigating the merits of the case, if it be a matter of doctrine, or 
opinion, or religious observance, that is under discussion, they sup- 
pose that truth must lie very nearly, if not exactly, midv/ay, and 
therefore as by a rule in numbers they decide it. Now this may 
be good arithmetic, but not sound theology, or morality. Truth is 
not ahvays that which lies half way between two opposing parties 
or opinions. That is truth which God's word teaches — that is 
duty which it commands, and it is our part humbly and diligently 
to search it out. Some think that to stand between two parties and 
condemn both, is the only real independence and true charity. 
But there may be as little independence, and as much uncharitable- 
ness in this, as in being of the one, or the other. So are we consti- 
tuted, that on the great questions of morals, religion, and politics, 
which agitate and divide mankind, almost all men who think, or 
read, will feel themselves more inclined to one or the other ; and 
when this is the case, there can be no harm, but rather honesty, in 
the candid avowal of it, The wrong is, in indulging an uncharita- 
ble spirit, in shutting our eyes upon what is good and true on either 
side, and in not refusing to advocate and do what we believe to be 
evil. Let all seek peace by promoting truth in a proper manner, 
and moderating those with whom they agree and act when they 
think them disposed to excess, and thus will the greatest amount of 
unity that can be hoped for on earth, be secured. 

Application of tlie foregoing principle. 

Let me now, in order to give effect to these general remarks, attempt 
an application of them to some of those religious principles and ob- 
servances, wherein it is most important that the rule of proportion 
should be held sacred. 

APPLICATION. 

1st. To things external and internal. 

The first great division of things pertaining to religion, is that 
which separates them into internal and external acts. 

The soul and body of man though making but one person, are 
yet distinct and separable. The soul may think and feel in some 
measure, even now, with but little help from the body, as when the 
eyes and ears are closed. The soul can indeed live apart from the 
body, as between death and the resurrection; but the body cannot 
live without the soul. Nevertheless God has made the soul very 
dependant upon the body, whose members all minister something to it. 



11 



So in religion there is a soul and a body, the latter generally neces- 
sary to the former. There are certain acts of the mind indispensa- 
ble, and to which certain outward things are appointed to minister, 
but which are not in all cases indispensable. 

Take, for instance, the public worship of God, and the ordinances of 
baptism and the Lord's Supper ; great as is the duty of observing 
these, and the blessing of rightly observing them, they cannot be 
ranked with faith, and penitence, and the effect of the word en- 
forced on the heart by the Spirit, because these are indispensable — 
wherefore we find this difference in what is said of them by the in- 
spired writers, that whereas salvation is often ascribed to faith and 
repentance alone, without the mention of the others, and the renew- 
ing of the mind, or new birth, to the word and Spirit alone, these 
things are not promised to those outward ordinances alone, but only 
in connexion with the others, and in such a manner as to show they 
would profit nothing if alone. If baptism, for instance, saves, it is in 
connexion with the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and the answer of 
a good conscience. Accordingly we find that an instance occurred 
at the very time of our Lord's crucifixion, when no public ordinance 
could be observed, and yet the dying thief was pardoned and sav- 
ed. And he was only one of many who followed after, dying on 
the scaffold or at the stake — the martyrs — of whose salvation no one 
doubts, although their only baptism was in blood, and their only 
supper the devouring flames. The same may be said of all other out- 
ward things. 

As to the superiority of the one over the other of these two classes, 
our Lord has left us no room for doubt or hesitation. On a certain 
occasion one came to him, tempting him, and saying, which is the 
great commandment in the law ?" Instead of rebuking him for mak- 
ing any difference between the laws of God, our Lord at once re- 
plies " thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with 
all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great com- 
mandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neigh- 
bor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and 
the prophets." It is a most mortifying proof of that tendency to 
magnify little things even above great ones, that, amongst the many 
disputes dividing the Jews as to the degrees of the different laws 
which led to this question, some of the Rabbis contended that 
the law concerning phylacteries was the greatest — others, that con- 
cerning sacrifices — and others, that relating to circumcision. Too 
much indeed was their zeal like that of many in every age among 
Christians concerning externals; and if our Lord had revisited the earth 
at any period since his ascension, he would have found but too much 
reason for the censure which he inflicted on some in his day. The 
great point however is settled, that to love the Lord with all that is 
within us, and out of this same feeling to love our neighbor as our- 
selves, is better than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Bishop But- 
ler, in his admirable work on the analogy of religion to nature, in 
speaking of the proneness of man to substitute positive observances 



12 



for inward piety to God and benevolence to man, as set forth in the 
first great command, and that which is like unto it, says, " That 
upon the occasion of menti(ming together positive and moral duties, 
the scripture always puts the stress of religion upon the latter, and 
never upon the former ; which, though no sort of allowance to neglect 
the former when they do not interfere with the latter, yet is a 
plain intimation, that when they do, the latter is to be preferred." 
He then refers to different passages of scripture, especially that 
of Hosea, as quoted by our Lord, I will have mercy and not sacri- 
fice," and adds It can hardly be doubted that the thing our Lord 
intended in that declaration was, that the Pharisees had not learnt 
from it, as they might, wherein the general spirit of religion consists ; 
that it consists in moral piety and virtue, as distinguished from forms 
and ritual observances." In a charge also to the clergy, he says, 
^'Indeed in most ages of the Church the care of reasonable men has 
been, as there has been for the most part occasion, to draw the peo- 
ple ofi" from laying too great weight upon external things, upon for- 
mal acts of piety." While, however, he atiirms this general propen- 
sity of mankind to one error, he had but too much cause in his day, 
it being a time of infidelity and general neglect of religion, to mourn 
over the contrary ; wherefore, he says, But the state of matters 
is changed now with us. These things are neglected to a degree 
which is, and cannot but be, attended with a decay of all that is 
good. It is highly reasonable therefore to instruct the people now 
in the importance of external religion." He then proceeds to exhort 
to more frequent attendance upon public worship — the use of family 
prayer, and private devotions. 

I will only further remark on this point, that it becomes us ever 
to remember, that^this God, whom to love supremely, is the first and 
greatest of all the commandments, is not merely the God of the Jews, 
and the Jehovah of the world, but is our Emmanuel, Christ our 
Lord, out of whom God is to us a consuming fire. Unless we be- 
lieve in him, w^e die in our sins — except we love him, we are ac- 
cursed forever. To know how to set this truth before the hearts of 
sinners, is the highest attainment of the preacher; to do it, his first 
duty : to receive him thus set forth, is the salvation of the soul. All 
other things are as nothing in comparison with this; all other things 
are only good so far as they conduce to this end. And there are 
many things which, in their right place and due proportion, do most 
happily conduce to this end ; some of which I will proceed to con- 
sider. 

TJie rule applied to preaching the word^ and to public worship. 

Let us now consider this rule as applied to two great means of 
grace, which are sometimes most improperly set in opposition to 
each other, whereas there should be no strife between them, both 
being as members of one body, neither of which should boast itself 
against the other — I mean the preaching of the word, and the pray- 
ers, and other services of the Church. 



13 



The word of God in the hands of the Spirit, is the mighty instru- 
ment for the conversion of souls. By the foolishness of preaching 
it, (as some have always regarded it) God is pleased to save them 
that believe. Our Lord and his apostles made most abundant use of 
it, as have ever since the most faithful and successful of God's mi- 
nisters. By its fruits it has been proved to be the power of God to 
the salvation of souls. Just in proportion as preaching was disused, 
or ceased to be a faithful exhibition of God's word, being turned 
into the telling of fables, true religion declined. At the time of the 
Reformation, when the Bible was locked up, and the pulpits ceased 
to proclaim the Gospel, nothing was more dreaded than the preach- 
ing of the Reformei-s. And faithfully did they wield this mighty 
weapon against the corrupters of our holy religion. 

Of Bishop Jewell it is said by his American Biographer and An- 
notator, ''To preach the word of God himself, and to see that it was 
preached by others in sincerity and power, he deemed the great busi- 
ness of his life, and acted up to that persuasion." 

Hooker also, one of his greatest favorites, and of a kindred spirit, 
in his argument with those who in his day were for exalting it above 
measure, nevertheless says, "So w^orthy a part of divine service we 
should greatly wrong, if we did not esteem preaching as the blessed 
ordinance of God; sermons, as keys to the kingdom of Heaven, as 
wings to the soul, as spurs to the good affections of man ; unto the 
sound and healthy as food; as physic unto diseased minds. Where- 
fore, how highly soever it may please them with words of truth to 
extol sermons, they shall not therein offend us." Archbishop 
Laud also, who was supposed to err in undervaluing sermons by 
comparison with other services, declared, "J ever took sermons, and 
do still, to be most necessary expositions and applications of holy 
Scripture, and a great ordinary means of salvation." But here we 
must not run into the error of those who confine preaching the 
word, in its true acceptation, to the pulpit and sermons, excluding 
from it the reading of scripture from the desk in the service. We 
should remember that the word now read was the same which 
Christ, the Prophets, and the Apostles preached, and which was after- 
wards committed to Avriting. Jn reading therefrom to the people, we 
preach the word, while in sermons we give, according to our know- 
ledge, the sense thereof, and exhort to its reception. Only in propor- 
tion as we deliver the true sense thereof, do we actually preach the 
word. It was thus that the priest under the old dispensation read 
the scriptures in the synagogue every Sabbath day and gave the 
sense thereof; and thus in the first ages of the Christian Church, 
where various portions of the Old and New Testament were read, 
as at this day, the bishops and other ministers present would suc- 
cessively explain certain parts, and exhort to the performance thereof. 
This appears to have been the most common and favorite method; 
and it may well be questioned, whether we have improved upon the 
plan by the use of more regular and formal sermons from single 
texts; whether the exposition of large and more various portions of 



14 



scripture would not be better calculated to acquaint ourselves and 
people with the true use and meaning of God's word, unbroken and 
in its proper connexion. The other plan presents a better opportu^ 
nity for the exercise of ingenuity and talent, and thereby tempts to 
the display of eloquence and the indulgence of vanity, against which 
ministers cannot be too carefully guarded. Ts evertheless, no matter 
how the Gospel is delivered, if in its truth, it will be greatly blessed. 
Whether therefore in the pulpit or in the desk, preaching in sermons 
or in the lessons, we should feel that it is the word of truth only that 
can take effect. In reading the lessons we should feel that we are 
preaching them to the people, and looking upon them, as from the 
pulpit, give'weight and emphasis to the words, as they may require, 
and not seem to be reading to ourselves and the desk; endeavor- 
ing thus, and by other means, to draw attention to the pure word of 
God. a 

The rule applied to puhlic prayers. 

But while highly esteeming the ministration of God's word, on 
account of its long tried virtue. let us not encroach on what is due 
to another appointment of God — his public worship. Himself while 
on earth, and his chosen disciples, set an example of faithful attend- 
ance on the worship of the temple and synagogue, although the pe- 
culiar seiwices thereof were soon to be done away, and superseded 
by something more perfect. 'No complete system having been given 
for public worship under either dispensation, to be binding on our 
observance, but only some brief prayers, after which, according to 
the Vv'isdom given. Christians were to model and enlarge their devo- 



a In the primitive church there were persons appointed to call 
upon the people from time to time to attend to the scriptui-es as they 
were about to be read, and also to engage earnestly in the prayers, 
sometimes saying to them. '-'Let us now pray more devoutly." when 
coming to some particular part of worship. No provision being now 
made for thus awakening or recalling attention, the ministers must 
by other means, in private conversation, by tracts, and in the course 
of sermons, press this duty on the people. The emphatic reading 
of the lessons, and prayers, coming Irora the very heart, which after 
all is the best teacher of sacred rhetoric, whether in the desk or pul- 
pit, would greatly conduce to this. The effect of emphatic reading 
was remarkably exemplified in Bishop Ravenscroft, in so much that 
when he was requested to read the service, it was very customary 
to ask him to •■preach it for us.'' 

We should beware ofanother over-valuation of the public preaching 
of God's word from the pulpit — that which excludes its etficacy when 
read in private by individuals, and in families by the rulers thereof, 
and especially as instilled by little and little into the minds of the 
youns", in all "which, it is still." by God's grace, the instrument of con- 
version and sanctification. "Were the duties ot a religious education 
faithfully performed." said the pious Baxter, "I verily believe preach- 
ing would cease to be God's ordinary method of converting souls." 



15 



tions, it became their duty to prepare such with the greatest care 
and piety, seeing they were to be the medium of intercourse with 
Heaven, so far as language and right sentiments could minister to it. 
We ought to feel ourselves most happy in having one which surely 
may without extravagance be regarded after its kind as the most 
perfect effort of man. Much of it indeed is borrowed from the 
word of God, some from our Lord's own lips, some probably from 
the prayers of the devout Jews, and still more from the early litur- 
gies of the Church. It should be no objection to us, that much of 
it has come down through ages of darkness and corruption — nor that 
some of it may still be found in the books of the church of Rome; 
rather let us rejoice that it is there, a means of comfort and grace, 
to the pious, for such there doubtless are, a condemnation to the 
evil, and perhaps instrument of purification when God shall come 
to cleanse this polluted portion of his Church. 

Let us, without idolatry, regarding the Liturgy only as a human 
writing (for such is it called by its framers b) but surely as one, 
which from iis age, the sources whence it came, and its frequent revis- 
ion, we may regard as highly perfected, feel it to be a privilege to wor- 
ship God according to its venerable forms, and see that both minis- 
ters and people use it as they ought. Without instituting any com- 
parison between prayers and sermons, we should approach them as 
necessary parts of the same service, assured that rightly used they 
will act and react most favorably on each other. The more devoutly 
we join in the prayers, and more attentively listen to the lessons of 
the service, the better we shall be prepared to delight in, and be ben- 
efitted by, the sermon. Whereas to neglect the former, to wish it 
were over, that the sermon may come, is to provoke God to with- 
hold his blessing from both, and to send leanness into the soul. If 
therefore any persons find themselves thinking or speaking only of 
one, to the disparagement of the other, they violate the true rule of pro- 
portion, and only do evil to the cause they advocate. If any per- 
sons should unnecessarily delay their coming into God's house, so as 
to lose part of the word and prayers, they should feel that they have 
offended God, and sinned against his worship, as much by such omis- 
sion, as they would insult the preacher and despise God's ordinance 
of preaching, by leaving the house just as the sermon begins, or be- 
fore it is entirely over. So as to the minister, should he find himself, 
in looking forward to public service, thinking only, or unduly, of the 
effect of the sermon, and not praying that his people may worship God 



h In the preface to the book of Common Prayer, there is claimed 
for it " only such just and favorable construction as in common equity 
is due to all human writings." How carefully did ihey avoid the 
error of the Jews, who placed their Talmud on the same ground with 
the scriptures; and how different from some of the German Theolo- 
gians, who have claimed for their symbolical books, (those answer- 
ing to our Liturgy, Articles, and Homilies) the respect which is due 
to scripture itself' 



16 



in spirit and truth, and the divine blessing rest upon the lessons and 
prayers; if when in the sacred place he find himself hurrying through 
the service, or repeating it in a low, and languid voice, as ihough to 
save himself and all his energies for the pulpit; let him thereby 
surely know that he is overvaluing the one, and undervaluing the 
other. Let both ministers and people then beware of this error, and , 
as one help to the right use and enjoyment of the service, let them 
study its excellences, that they may enter readily into the full mean- 
ing of its words. Were they much less admirably chosen and ar- 
ranged than they are, still as the appointed medium of prayer, as 
words to which solemn thoughts and acts belong, they ought to be 
well studied, that we may enter fully and heartily into their design, 
1 would not have you to suppose, by these remarks, that I encourage 
the making invidious comparisons between our own mode of worship 
and that of others, especially so far as to question the practicability of 
sincere prayer without such written forms. Zeal may be chiefly ex- 
pended in such comparisons, and, while the Liturgy is greatly praised, 
God may not be worshipped in spirit and truth. It is possible to 
be like the boasting Pharisee, and go away unblessed, while some 
other without the same advantages of prayer, may yet cry, "God be 
merciful to me a sinner," and carry away the blessing. However well 
we may agree in the superiority of a form, and the excellency of our 
own, if some one, desirous to form an estimate of churches in this 
respect, should come into one of ours, when the minister was all 
hurry, or else lifeless formality, and the response of the people a 
confused low murmur, or a dumb show, and should then visit some 
other, where, though the service were far less perfect, yet the minis- 
ter was solemn and impressive in his manner, and the people, though 
silent, yet apparently devout, it is needless to say what the result 
would be. How often, alas, has our Church been thus wounded in 
the house of her friends! But when, on the other hand, justice, by both 
minister and people, is done to the service, how deep the impression 
upon the unprejudiced listener, how happy the efTect on the pious 
worshipper! c 



c Nothing can be more contrary to the animated spirit and lan- 
guage of our Liturgy, or the design of those who framed it, than a 
lifeless manner in the minister, and a cold or inaudible response on 
the part of the people. In primitive times, we read of bome large 
congregations whose loud and united Amen, was as the voice of thun- 
der. In the Romish Church, however, even the reading of the mi- 
nister became that of a low muttering in an unknown tongue. The 
constitution of Justinian, in the year 527, says, "we command that 
all Bishops and Priestsido celebrate the holy oblation, and the prayers 
in Holy Baptism, not speaking low, but with a clear or loud voice, 
that they may be heard of the people, that thereby the minds of the 
hearers may be stirred up with great devotion in uttering the prayers 
of the Lord God." Various are the directions of the Church of 
England to the same effect, enjoining it on the ministers to read "lei- 
surely, plainly, and distinctly." As to the responses, Mr. Baxter 



17 



Application of the Rule to the Sacraments. 

Let us now inquire what is the true position and use of the Sa- 
craments in the appointments of God for his Church. To ascribe 
either too much, or too little to them; to look for more, or seek 
for less than they have to give, must be more or less injurious, ac- 
cording to the degree of our error. Tt is true that some may for a 
time attach undue importance to certain things, and may connect 



well remarks, "that it was decay of zeal in the people that first shut 
out responses. The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind, and 
stirreth up God's graces in the heart." As to the dull, inanimate 
mode of using the service, whether by minister, or people, or by both, 
it would be well to remember what was once said of it in derision by 
its enemies. They called it "77ie Lethargy of the Church.'''' Let 
us all see that it be not deserved. 

The Episcopal Church, however, while rejoicing in her excellent 
Liturgy, and requiring its exclusive use in her public worship, has 
never undertaken to interfere with the liberty of her ministers and 
members on other occasions. Indeed, in the Church of England, 
there was formerly in general use, now only occasional, it is believ- 
ed according to one ot the canons, a prayer before sermons, partaking 
of the character of both form, and extempore petition. 

The 55th canon directs that before all sermons, lectures and homi- 
lies, preachers and ministers shall move the people to join with them 
in this form, or to this effect, as briefly as they conveniently may, (in 
hunc aut similem modum.) The title of the Latin canon is, "Preca- 
tionis formula a concionatoribus. in concionum suarum ingressu imi- 
% tanda." The heads of the prayer are then given, it being chiefly an 

intercessory prayer. 

As to more private occasions the rubric says, "In the family, or in 
visitation ot the sick, if the particular condition of the one or the 
other do require it, and in private, and in the closet, it is not supposed 
by our church, but that every one may ask his own wants in what 
lorm of words he shall think fit." 

The following testimony of Bishop Hall, in his defence of the Li- 
turgy, is in accordance with the foregoing. "Far be it from me to dis- 
hearten any good christian from the use of conceived prayer in his 
private devotions, and upon occasions also in public. 1 would hate 
to be guilty of pouring so much water upon the Spirit, to which I 
would gladly add oil rather. No, let the full soul pour itself forth in 
gracious expressions of its holy thoughts unto the bosom of the 
Almighty; let both the sudden flashes of our quick ejaculations, and 
the constant flames of our more fixed conceptions, mount up from 
the altar of a zealous heart unto the throne of grace. What I have 
professed concerning conceived prayers, is that which I have ever 
allowed, ever practised, both in private and public. God is a free 
spirit, and so should ours be in pouring out our voluntary devotions 
upon all occasions. Nothing hinders but that this liberty and a pub- 
lic Liturgy should be good friends, should go hand in hand together; 
and whoever would forcibly separate them, let them bear their own 
blame. The over-vigorous pressing of the Liturgy, to the justling 
out of preaching, or of conceived prayers, was never intended by 
the law-makers, or moderate governors of the Church." 



18 



pious thoughts and habits with them, without greatly neglecting and 
undervaluing others ; but in the hands of their followers, and in the 
progress of time, they must lead to evil. Such has ever been the 
history of error and false doctrine in the Church of God. d 

As to the sacraments, it must be admitted that nothing appertain- 
ing to our holy religion has been by some more exaggerated in the- 
ory, and idolized in practice, and on this very account more des- 
pised and neglected by others. Circumcision, appointed of old by 
God, was at some times most criminally neglected, at others most su- 
perstitiously regarded. During the forty years spent in the wilder- 
ness it was neglected perhaps altogether. In the time of the Apos- 
tles, there were those who said, "except ye be circumcised ye cannot 
be saved." The sacraments of the Christian Church, succeeding to 
those of the Jewish, have in like manner been abused by supersti- 
tion, and neglected through irreligion and proud philosophy. 

At some times and places, they, with their ceremonies of human 
appointment, have formed almost the whole of religion, so that it 
was not unjustly styled, a religion of sacraments. This perversion 
has led a few in different ages to set aside all outward ordinances, 
and to spiritualize religion, so as to adapt it rather to angels than 
men. It becomes us therefore to understand their true nature, and 
design, and to esteem and practise them accordingly. In the homily 
of our Church on the sacraments, it is written concerning the Lord's 
supper, '■"For, as that worthy man, St. Ambrose, saith, he is unwor- 
thy of the Lord, that otherwise doth celebrate that holy mystery, 
than it was delivered by him ; neither can he be devout that other- 
wise doth presume, than it was given by the author. We must 
therefore take heed, lest of the m.emory, it be made a sacrifice," etc. 
Concerning the receiving of it, it says, '"which, though it seem of small 
virtue to some, yet being rightly done by the faithful, it doth not 
only help their weakness, but strengtbeneth and comforteth their 
inward man with peace and gladness, and maketh them thankful to 
their Redeemer with diligent care and godly conversation." 

The favorite illustration of the sacraments among the ancient 
Fathers and the Reformers is, that they are ""visible words." e The 



d Mr. Palmer, in his work on the Church, (page 111. volume 1st.) 
says, "Heresy commonly appears in the character of goodness and 
piety." "We know from ecclesiastical history, that the founders of 
almost all heresies, as Arius, Pelagius, Nestorius, etc., have been 
famed for external piety and sanctity. Were it otherwise, indeed, 
the novelty of their opinions would excite too much apprehension 
among their hearers, to render them in reality dangerous; but when 
men of apparent sanctity and integrity, earnestly assert their doc- 
trines as true and orthodox, then even the faithful may be in dan- 
ger of forsaking their steadfastness." 

e "Visible words." Bishop Jewell in his apology says, that Ter- 
tullian, Origcn, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Basil, 
Dionysius, and other Catholic Fathers, call the s^acraments, "figures, 
signs, marks, badges, prints, copies, forms, seals, signets, similitudes, 



19 



same things which God sets before the mind in words, are set before 
us in visible and impressive signs, as water, bread and wine. As the 
word, or divine truth, mixed with faith is efJectual to the salvation of 
him who reads or hears, but without faith is unto condemnation; 
so is the great truth of Christ crucified, impressively set forth in these 
visible words, or sensible signs of bread and wine, according to an 
express command, effectual to life or death, according as they are 
received worthily or unworthily, in faith or otherwise. Wherefore our 
homily says, "in tlie supper of the Lord is no vain ceremony, no 
bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent." The 25th article 
says, that "Sacraments ordained of Christ be certain sure witnesses, 
and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the 
which he doth work invisibly in us." So he does by that word 
which sets forth the same grace and good will in a different form 
of speech. The article goes on to say, "In such only as wor- 
thily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or opera- 
tion; but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to them- 
selves damnation, as St. Paul saith." Such also is the effect of 
the word as to baptism; "faith (says the article) is confirmed, and 
grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God," but only "in them 
that receive it rightly." Thus it is with the word of God, which 
sets forth the same truths, and makes the same promises, that are set 
forth in baptism. Another representation often used, and borrowed 
from the word of God, is that of a sign or seal set to an instrument, 
and confirming what it contains. God's word contains a gracious 
covenant, full of precious promises, by believing which we become 
partakers of a divine nature, and are saved by hope; whenever we 
read it, we should rejoice in its assurances, and be certain of their 
fulfilment; but although God is not a man that he should lie, yet, in 
condescension to our slowness of heart to believe such wonderful 
things, he is pleased to adopt the same method which treacherous 
man is obliged to use, to give certainty to a contract. He says — be- 
hold, I put my seal to it with the hand of one of your brethren; in 
your own bodies do I put it — doubt no more. 

Now, even between man and man, it often happens that if the seal 
be wanting, through some neglect, or loss, or necessity, if all else be 
clear, and the conditions of the contract fulfilled, on the one side, it 
would not be null and void; so much more on the part of God, if 
the seal were omitted, not through contempt, or disobedience, 



patterns, representations, remembrances, and memories; and we make 
no doubt to say, together with the same doctors, that these be certain 
visible words, seals ot righteousness, and tokens of grace." The 
American annotator remarks, "This terse phrase (visible words) ex- 
presses admirably the design of sacramental institutions;" and he 
quotes several sentences from Dr. Knox on the Lord's supper, en- 
larging upon the comparison. In another place, also. Bishop Jewell 
says, "Sacraments serve especially to direct and aid our faith, for 
they are, as St. Augustine calleth them, visible words, and seals and 
testimonies of the Gospel." (See chapter 6th; Jewell's Apology.) 



20 



but rather through some accident, or necessity, or perhaps invincible 
prejudice of education, the promises in the instrument (his word) 
would be fulfilled to the truly pious. But should this encour- 
age any to say, the seal is not necessary; the word of promise, 
the covenant, is enough? Might we not indeed well fear, that, 
if we will not choose that God should put this his mark upon 
our bodies, as well as souls, we may by such disobedience to 
so plain a command, and despising of so gracious an act, forfeit 
all the mercies of the covenant? If one sin, however small, wil- 
fully persisted in, be enough to destroy the soul, shewing a heart 
not right with God, how can any hope to be saved, in the de- 
liberate neglect of such plain, and gracious, and admitted appoint- 
ments of Heaven? In this view of them, this plain one, they as- 
sume an indescribable importance. 

But is there no other virtue in them ; no special blessing to the 
humble recipient beside? How are we to understand those awfully 
mysterious words of Christ, "This is my body given for you — this 
is my blood shed for you? What is meant by the communion of the 
body and blood of Christ — the partaking of the Lord's body — the 
eating his flesh, the drinking his blood? If, as all must allow, 
these are figurative expressions, still such strong figures must ex- 
press some strong realities. What then do they mean? 

The Church of Rome understands them in their most literal sense, 
and believes that the very bread and wine are converted into the body 
and blood of Christ, which are actually eaten and drank by the com- 
municants. 

The Lutherans, protesting against this, nevertheless maintained 
that though the bread and wine remained the same, yet Christ's 
body and blood were invisibly present, and actually partaken of by 
the faithful. 

Other Protestants rejected both these absurdities, and held that as 
Christ's natural body and blood were not omnipresent while he was 
on earth, but only in one place at one time, so, when he ascended 
into Heaven, and took this body with him, it was there to remain 
until he come again to judge the world ; and of course, that it is 
only after some spiritual and heavenly manner that we can all be 
partakers of his body and blood, while in the appointed supper we 
remember him, and shew forth his death until he come again. Our 
Church has retained the words of Christ, and of the Apostles, in the 
administration of the supper, to set forth the intimate and blessed 
communion, which by faitii we then enjoy with our ascended Sa- 
viour. Some there are who understand them in a sense still stronger 
than we think could ever Iiave been designed by our Lord in his 
word, or by the framers of the communion service. Although ad- 
mitting that Christ's human nature with flesh and blood can only be 
in Heaven, and has not the attribute of omnipresence, yet, in conse- 
quence of its union with the divine person of Christ, it may, or must, 
in some mysterious way be ever with him, and thus be actually pre- 
sent with every communicant, and be partaken of by him. If this 



/ 



21 



doctrine be understood as the good Bishop Ridley explained it, there 
need be no evil apprehended from it. While he affirms most posi- 
tively, that the natural body and blood of Christ can only be in Hea- 
ven, yet, by their union with the divine nature of Christ, they may 
be present by grace; even as we say, the same sun, which in sub- 
stance never removeth his place out of the heavens, is yet present here 
by its beams of light, and natural influence, when it shinethupon the 
earth. So God's word, and his sacraments, be, as it were, the beams 
of Christ, which is Sol Justitiae, the Sun of Righteousness." 

In like manner our homily on this sacrament exhorts us, by the 
advice of the council of Nice, " to lift up our minds by faith, and 
leaving these inferior and earthly things, there seek it, where the sun 
of righteousness ever shineth." And again, " to look up with faith 
upon the holy body and blood of thy God — to marvel with rever- 
ence — to touch it with thy mind, to receive it with the hand of thy 
heart, and take it fully with thy inward man." It is thus the Church 
teaches in her catechism, that " the body and blood of Christ are 
spiritually taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's supper." 
" The benefits whereof are the strengthening and refreshing of our 
souls, as our bodies are by the bread and wine." f 



f Bishop Jewell and other Reformers do, in their writings, as in the 
book of Common Prayer, use the language of scripture in setting 
forth the intimate communion of Christians with their Lord in the 
right receiving of the Lord's supper — calling it a communion of the 
body and blood of Christ — but most carefully distinguishing it from 
either the transubstantialion of the Romish Church, or consubstan- 
tiation of the Lutheran. He tells us that the body and blood of Christ 
are not to be looked for in the elements, but in Heaven; are not to be 
partaken of in any carnal manner by the body, but only by faith with 
our souls. "Whosoever," he saith, ''cometh to the holy table, and 
advanceth not his mind unto Heaven, there to feed upon Christ's 
body at the right hand of God, he knoweth not the meaning of these 
mysteries." Again, "We have no special regard to the bread, wine, 
and water, for they are creatures corruptible, as well after consecra- 
tion as they were before; but we direct our faith only to the body 
and blood of Christ; not as being there really and fleshly present 
but as sitting in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father." He' 
quotes Tertullian as saying, "Christ must be received in cause of 
life — he must be eaten by hearing— must be chewed by understand- 
ing—and must be digested by faith." He quotes St. Cyprian assay- 
ing, " What meat is to the flesh, that is faith to the soul. To believe 
in him (Christ) is to eat him; the drinking, what is it else but to live 
by him?" 

Jewell himself says, "Although we do not touch the body of Christ 
with teeth and mouth, yet we hold him fast, and eat him by faith, by 
understanding and spirit." Therefore, he says, when we come to 
the communion, we are exhorted to "lift up our hearts," and direct 
our minds to heaven, because he is there by whom we must be fed 
and live. He quotes Cyril and others to the same effect: "And Cy- 
ril saith, when we come to receive these holy mysteries, all gross 
imaginations must quite be banished." The council of Nice, as it is 



22 



But is this communion with our ascended Lord, this partaking of 
the benefits of his broken body and shed blood, to be confined to the 
memorial of his death in the use of the consecrated elements ? Does 
he not at any other time dwell in our hearts by faith, and we in him r 
Then should we be perpetually, each hour partaking of the emblems, 
that he may evermore dwell in us, and we in him? It is doubtless 
with the same exalted Lord and Saviour, in his divine person con- 
taining the very man and very God, that we commune by faith and 
love in the use of the word, and prayer, and holy meditation. That 
the partaking of these sacramental symbols is not indispensable to 
communion with Christ in the judgment of our Church, she teaches 
in one of her rubrics, where she declares that if by extremity of 
sickness, or other impediment, one who is desirous of the supper 
cannot obtain it, yet if the same be a true penitent and believer in 
Christ, and be thankful for his death, " he doth eat and drink the 
body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soul's health, 
although he do not receive the sacrament with his mouth." g 

Shall any one however now say, I will remember my Saviour on 
my bed — I will commune with him through his blessed word — I 
will lift up ray heart to him in prayer, and by faith take hold of his 
wounded body and make it mine, and not approach the table of the 
Lord, seeing it is needless, or I may do it unworthily to ray con- 
demnation ? If any shall thus slight the last appointment of our Lord 
for such near and dear comraunion w^ith hira, he is the very man 
with whom the Lord will refuse to corarauneinany other way, and 



alleged by some, in Greek plainly forbiddeth us to be basely aftec- 
tioned, or bent, towards the bread and wine which are set before us. 

And as Chrysostom very aptly writeth, we say that the body of 
Christ is the dead carcass, and we ourselves must be the eagles; 
meaning thereby that we must fly on high, if we will come to the body 
of Christ, for this table is a table of eagles, and not of jays. And St. 
Augustine saith, "How shall I hold him, being absent? How shall 
I reach my hand up to Heaven to lay hold of him sitting there? He 
answereth : Reach hither thy faith, and then thou hast laid hold of 
him." The American annotator very justly remarks on this subject, 
that " The belief of the real presence of Christ's body in the Com- 
munion soon generated the opinion that the celebration of the rite 
was an actual repetition of the sacrifice of Chris;. Hence readily 
arose the belief, that it must be equally available for spiritual benefit 
with the one great sacrifice on the cross. The priests were not long 
in persuading the ignorant multitude that the application of these f 
benefits was in their power; and joining this error with the doctrine 
of purgatory, set up a pretence to the power of aiding souls in the 
torment of that place of temporary punishment, by the celebration of 
masses in their behalf." See 6th Chap. Jewell's Apology. 

g Mr. Palmer himself, though holding very high views in relation 
to the sacraments, says, "That it is generally admitted, that in a 
case of necessity, a sincere wish to receive the sacraments, together 
witli the true faith, is sufficient to produce the effect of the sacra- 
ments." Vol. 2, p. 414. 



23 



at any other time. To such an one the Lord will not reveal or im- 
part himself. Whosoever shall thus refuse, or neglect, to eat the 
flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God in the holy supper, ac- 
knowledging it to be a command of Christ, cannot be a true disciple. 

But whatever may be the differences of opinion as to the benefits 
of the sacraments, there is one way in which both ministers and 
people may honor them, and increase their efficacy, and about which 
there can be no diversity of sentiment: I mean a due preparation 
for, and solemn administration of them. There may be, and often 
has been, the most extravagant and superstitious faith in them, con- 
nected with the most corrupt administration of them. Indeed, it 
might be expected that an over-estimate of their intrinsic virtue 
would lead to the careless performance of them, since the mere act 
is so mighty in its efficacy. 

In relation to the Lord's supper, let us of the ministry be most 
faithful in stating the proper qualifications for it — a true repentance, 
a lively faith, and universal charity, and in discouraging the ap- 
proach of any who are destitute of the same, lest we minister to their 
condemnation. Let the table of the Lord be rendered more profita- 
ble to the faithful, by repelling the unfaithful from it. Faithful dis- 
courses previous to each communion, addressed especially to commu- 
nicants, will usually effect this separation with least pain, while they 
will serve to strengthen the faithful, and keep them from falling. 

As to the frequency of the supper, so various are the circumstan- 
ces of the parishes, that it is difficult to give advice suitable to all. 
But surely even in those most unfavorably situated, the minister 
should endeavor to administer it not less than four times in the year, 
selecting those seasons marked out by the Church ; and, in the case 
of those having more than one congregation, bringing it as near those 
seasons as may be practicable. In regard to congregations in towns, 
where a part of the service may be read at an early hour without depar- 
ting from the design of the Church, none could wish the communion 
to be less than a monthly service. If the ministers will by pious and 
and faithful preaching, and the people by due private devotions, pre- 
pare for the celebration of this holy feast, great must be the esteem 
in which it would be held in the simplest view that can be taken 
of it, and great the blessing of God upon it. 

So also in relation to baptism ; if, without undertaking to be posi- 
tive as to the certain and precise effects of it — without tying the 
grace inseparably to the moment and act of its administration, we 
were to regard it as a great privilege to bring our children to the 
font ; if we were to hasten to do it, lest he who bade the children 
of Israel appear before him on the eighth day should be offended at 
our delay ; if parents and sponsors were exhorted and aided to pre- 
pare for the dedication, with prayer and suitable reading; if times, 
as of old, were set apart for the service ; if lectures and exhortations 
preceded and followed after; if parents and children were often re- 
minded of their baptismal vows; if pious sponsors only were admit- 
ted, and the true intent of the Church in all her provisions only kept 



24 



in view, and enforced; surely none would doubt but that our Lord 
favorably alloweth this charitable work of ours in bringing children 
to his holy baptism, when they should see how it led step by step 
to a full and open profession, at an early age, of pure and undefiled 
religion. 

Let us all be more earnestly engaged in such labors, and we shall 
be less disposed to dispute about thmgs which God has not revealed 
to us. 

The rule applied to the Church and Ministry. 

Lotus proceed to the consideration of the Church, and the Minis- 
try, to which it is highly important that this law be wisely applied, 
that they be not, on the one hand, too lightly esteemed in the great 
economy of redemption, nor, on the other, magnified beyond their 
measure. There ever have been those who have made almost no thmg, 
and those who have made almost every thing of them. In this, 
as in all other things, "a just weight is the Lord's delight, while a 
false balance is his abomination and " he that justifieth the wicked, 
and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination 
to the Lord." It becomes us in the fear of God to seek the truth, 
and endeavor to "judge righteous judgment." On this subject we 
think theframers of our articles and liturgy displayed great Avisdom, 
not more in what they said, than in what they left unsaid; for as 
there are things in which we are bound to "judge righteous judg- 
ment," so there are things in which we are to "judge not." 

What then is their judgment } 

In the communion service they call the Church — " the mystical 
body of Christ," that is, "the blessed company of all faithful people." 
In the 19th Article they define it to be "a congregation of faithful 
men, in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacra- 
ments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance, in all 
those things that of necessity are requisite to the same:" they do not 
undertake to say precisely with what degree of purity the word of 
God is to be preached, but doubtless meant that the unadulterated 
scriptures were to be received, read, and preached, and not any other 
than those acknowledged as such. In the very same article they 
speak of the Church of Rome as erring in the faith, and in other 
things, yet still admit her title to the name of Church. Neither do 
they specify what things are indispensably requisite to the due ad- 
ministration of the ordinances. 

In the 23d Article they declare, that " it is not lawful for any 
man to take upon him the oflice of public preaching, or ministering 
the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called, and 
sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully 
called and sent, which be chosen, and called to this work by men 
who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to 
call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard." It may be said 
that in this also there is no specification determining who are con- 
sidered the proper officers in Christ's Church indispensable to min- 



25 



isterial acts. This is admitted to be the case, and yet in other places, 
they leave no room to doubt what they and the Church ever since 
believe to be the path of duty in this respect, and determine to pur- 
sue. In the preface to our Ordination Services it is thus written, 
"It is evident unto all men, diligently reading holy scripture and an- 
cient authors, that from the Apostles' time there have been three 
Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church, — Bishops, Priests, and Dea- 
cons. Which offices were evermore had in such reverend estima- 
tion, that no man might presume to execute any of them, except he 
were first called, tried, examined, and known to have such qualities 
as are requisite for the same ; and also by public prayer, with impo- 
sition of hands, were approved and admitted thereunto by lawful 
authority. And therefore, to the intent that these orders may be 
continued, and reverently used and esteemed in this Church, no man 
shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful Bishop, Priest, or Dea- 
con, in this Church, or suffered to execute any of the sacred functions, 
except he be called, tried, examined, and admitted thereunto, ac- 
cording to the form hereafter following, or hath had Episcopal con- 
secration or ordination." In the services that follow there is also 
a recognition of the scriptural sanction alluded to in this preface. 

From this it plainly appears that our Reformers considered our 
form of government to be that which was established by the Apos- 
tles, and practised by the primitive christians, as evinced by the 
New Testament and the writings of the Fathers, and that it had ever 
since been in the Church. How could they then, in reforming the 
Church from the corruptions of Popery, think of altering this feature 
in the frame-work thereof ? Since some officers and some government 
must be, and these were already in possession, and had come down 
from the Apostles themselves, and seemed to have such scriptural 
authority, how could she think of dismissing them for some that 
were untried ? There were, however, some of the reforming ministers, 
and people on the continent, who were driven out of the Church of 
Rome under the most awful anathema, having among them only two 
of those orders, viz. Priests, and Deacons, — who to this day con- 
tinue without Bishops, and whose example has been followed by 
some christian societies in England and America. Some of their 
leaders on the Continent lamentedfor atime the deficiency, and spoke 
in high terms of the Episcopal Office, though not regarding it as in- 
dispensable to a Church. Our forefathers in England lived on terms 
of great kindness with them, notwithstanding this difference, and 
felt that they were laboring in one common cause against the great 
corrupter of the faith. It has however been thought by some, espe-^ 
cially in these latter days, that, however well they may have said / 
what they have said, in the documents I have quoted, they should 
have said more ; and indeed that either false charity, or a want of 
moral courage, prevented them from declaring that the defect allud- 
ed to in the Continental Churches was a vital one, destructive of 
their claims to be branches of the " One Catholic and Apostolic 
Church." Much rather let us say with the present Bishop of Lon- 
4 



26 



don, " we believe their caution to have proceeded rather from a reli- 
gious fear of deciding peremptorily, that which is not peremptorily 
decided in the word of God, and excluding from any of the benefits 
of the christian economy those who have not been formally excluded 
therefrom by Jesus Christ and his Apostles," Many were the consider- 
ations which no doubt led them, and which should lead christians in 
every age, to hesitate how they pronounce a sentence of exclusion from 
Christ's Church on those who are by faith vitally united to the head. 
They had seen how God made those laboring under this defect in the 
outward church nevertheless " partakers of the like gift of grace with 
them," and well might they fear to call them, in any sense, " com- 
mon or unclean." While repelling indignantly the charges of 
schism, and heresy, and separation from the unity of Christ's Church, 
so freely made against them by the Church of Rome, they might well 
hesitate and refuse to follow this example in relation to their fellow 
soldiers, in Christ, upon the Continent, Seeing that it is the Church 
which Christ loved and gave himself for — which he has purchased 
with his precious blood — ought we not to be very fearful how^ we 
contract its bounds, and reduce its numbers within the limits which 
Christ hath established, lest we should only seem to exclude some 
from the benefits of his death, and the promises of his word ? 1 
know that there are those, who, out of regard to the order of Christ's 
Church, feel bound to adopt certain views of its limits, who would 
shrink from the idea of excluding from the benefits of Christ's death, 
or denying the true piety of many who are without the supposed 
pale; but is it not a consideration which should make us all most 
cautious how we draw the line, that in proportion to the numbers of 
truly pious whom that line shall leave out of the Church which 
Christ purchased, and loves as his spouse, and watches over so ten- 
derly, we diminish the great importance of being in the Church, and 
tempt many to be as well satisfied with uncovenanted as covenanted 
mercies ; since they will judge by what they see in the lives of those 
around them, rather than by doubtful definition } And while we 
should fear to lose the esteem and good will of the sober mind ed 
and the pious, and to tempt ourselves to improper thoughts and 
words towards the outcast, by excluding some whom Christ has in- 
cluded, should we not also fear to offend him by rash judgment, lest 
he withdraw some of his rich favors from us f If the Church be 
his glorious temple, and christians be all of them so many living 
stones in the same, should we not remember how the builders of old 
would have rejected even himself, although he became the very 
head of the corner of the glorious Church t and if we shall under- 
take to reject any of those whom he has chosen to be living stones in 
his temple, must it not be an offence to him, and injurious to our- 
selves, rather than others, for it is not ours to choose or reject ? 
Theie is but one who shutteth and no man openeth, and who openeth 
and no man shutteth. And I would add, that if we desire to have 
and deserve the name of Catholic, or universal, that also should make 
us careful not to contract the Redeemer's kingdom within smaller 



27 



bounds than he has appointed, lest our name and conduct should be 
at variance. 

If it be said, in answer to this charge of seeming uncharitableness 
in thus excluding from the Church of Christ persons of whose true 
piety and salvation there is no doubt, that there is thajSame unchar- 
itableness in throwing the heathen on the outside of its pale, and 
leaving them to the uncovenanted mercies of God, while we hope 
that some of them will be saved, we reply, that beside the unkind- 
ness of classing together the true worshippers of our Lord, with those 
who bow down to idols, it is more easy to conceive how God can 
have compassion on an ignorant heathen, whose heart has yet yield- 
ed to such influences of the spirit as may have been vouchsafed him, 
than on one who, born as it were in the very bosom of the Church, 
and living all around it, and invited to enter it, shall nevertheless re- 
fuse so to do. 

In the utterance of these sentiments, 1 feel sure that I am only ex- 
pressing the views which have generally been held by the ministers 
and members of our Church in England and America, from the Re- 
formation to the present time. It were easy to fill a volume with 
these sentiments from the works of our English Bishops and divines. 
Puller, in his work on the Moderation of the Church of England, 
which he proved in a great variety of ways, says, " Other Churches 
have not been despised by her, if in sundry instances they have not 
arrived unto her perfection in purity of doctrine, and order of disci- 
pline; nor does she call herself, in distinction from other true Church- 
es, the Catholic Church, as of old the Arians did." "While retain- 
ing the blessing of Episcopal government, yet such is the modera- 
tion of our Church, she imputes the want of the same in other Re- 
formed Churclies, not so much to any fault of those Churches them- 
selves, but rather attributes it to the injury of the times." — p. 419. 
He shews how she observed this same moderation towards the 
Church of Rome, and quoting from Casaubon, says, " The denying 
the Church of Rome the being of a Church, (which some Protest- 
ants rashly, and ignorantly, and rigidly, and uncharitably have done) 
hath been a great hindrance of Reformation; and I verily believe that 
the opinion most Papists are kept in, that the religion of Protestants 
is a new religion, is not of little force to keep them averse from it to 
this day." "Because they still keep to the main fundamentals, we 
do not exclude them from the Catholic Church, though by their 
hard and rigid censures, and excommunication of us and others that 
do not hold with them, they do very much hazard their right and 
title to the said Catholic Church, as much ashy anything." 

Quoting from Bishop Brarahall also, he says, "that greater is her 
schism for refusing to be a fellow member with other churches, in 
the universal Church of Christ, and challenging to be the head, the 
soul, the fountain of all others." 

Our Church, though she evidently regards that of Rome as the An- 
tichrist, (as may be seen in the homilies) yet knows that it is in the 
temple, or church of God, that Antichrist sits ; and therefore only 



28 



calls upon us to separate from her, declaring that she "hath erred not 
only in living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith." 

As to those on the Continent, it is needless to show by quotation 
that our Reformers never undertook to deny them a place in the 
Universal Church. Even Archbishop Laud, in his dying address, 
calls them churches ; speaking of the Church of England he says, 
"It hath flourished and been a shelter to otherneighboring churches, 
when storms have driven upon them.'' 

But now it may be asked, are all who call themselves by the name 
of Christ — all societies which call themselves churches of Christ — 
no matter how schismatical and heretical, to be accounted and treat- 
ed as such? Is there no line which divides the true from the false? 

To this we answer, that although such line can only be certainly 
known to God, whose hand alone has power to draw it, yet his 
Church upon earth, fallible as she is, must, in his fear, endeavor to 
make such diiference as God shall approve. Discipline there must 
be in the Church. Evil members must be cut off from others; and 
sometimes numbers combining together, for evil must be excluded 
from the communion of a Church. But as it is utterly impossible 
for any but God infallibly to decide what degree of error in doctrine 
and viciousness of life cuts off even an individual from hope, so the 
Church in expelling a member does it with a perfect consciousness, 
and full acknowledgment, that she may err, and that what she does 
on earth may not always be ratified in Heaven, because it is not al- 
ways done according to the will of Heaven. So also in separating 
large numbers from a church, in refusing fellowship with them, in 
pronouncing that they have so erred from the faith and discipline of 
Christ's Church that they ought not to be communed with as parts 
thereof, or that they are most imperfect and diseased parts, we should 
do it with a trembling conviction of our fallibility, and with an ac- 
knowledgment that God may see otherwise. Nevertheless, we are 
bound to separate individuals who seem to be unsound, lest they 
corrupt others, and so must refuse fellowship with societies, so far 
as we think they have departed from the true faith or order, thus to 
show our condemnation of their errors, and that we may not be par- 
lakers with them, or be led by them. If they seek readmission into 
our body, we may require such terms as shall seem best calculated 
to correct the evil; we may reordain ministers, if we think their or- 
dination defective; and yet all this may be, without a positive belief 
and declaration that their churches were not members of the uni- 
versal church, the body of Christ. The Church of Rome stands 
alone in that fearful work of cutting off kingdoms and churches 
from Christ. The Church of England, though at times most unne- 
cessarily, and, as we think, improperly deserted by large portions of 
her members, forming themselves into distinct societies, has never 
yet ventured on' the fearful work of excommunication from the body 
of Christ, though she reordains their ministers, and confirms their 
private members, when they return to her bosom, according to her 
own solemn forms. Whoever has examined but a small part of 



29 



what has been written on the nature and guilt of heresy and schism, 
and seen to what extent it must reach ere it amounts to separation 
from the body of Christ, needs not be told that the wisest and best 
have been most disposed to leave this decision in the hands of God 
alone; although some action must be had, in the way of discipline, 
even by fallible man. h 



h In the views which I have here taken of the proper mode of re- 
garding and treating those who are in a state of schism or separation 
from a national church, or have departed from the order and disci- 
pline ol the primitive and universal church, I am strengthened by 
what Mr. Palmer has said of such in his elaborate work on the Church, 
and by comparing his sentiments with those of others. 

After saying that salvation is promised to faith in Christ only, 
though, from the goodness of God, we may have hope for some to 
whom Christ is not revealed, nor salvation promised, he adds, "On 
the same prmciple I maintain that salvation is only offered in the 
Church of Christ by revelation, and that all men, to whom the Gos- 
pel is preached, must be members of this church, when sufficiently 
proposed to them, on pain of being excluded from the favor of God 
for ever." (Page 36. volume 1st.) 

Again, ''Them that are without, God judgeth; but all the promises 
of God are to his church: his grace is given in the Church: the Apos- 
tles and teachers sent from God are in the Church. We know nothing 
from revelation of any grace, any Christian ministry, any sacraments, 
or any salvation beyond the Church." (Page 406. volume 2d.) 

Now if this be so, how important, that the bounds of the Church 
be well defined, that none may be excluded through ignorance 
thereof; and how careful should we be in charging any with being 
without the pale, except on good authority. Mr. Palmer has written 
much on the subject, but, as we think, most unsatisfactorily. As to 
the degree of heresy, or the kind of schism which cuts off from the 
Church of Christ; or what body, whether a particular church, or the 
church Catholic, or what portion of the same, has the power of ex- 
cision, he can afford no certain information. Some persons he speaks 
of as imperfect members of the Church; some churches, those of the 
Continent, as not being churches of Christ, and yet not cut off, but 
only separated from the external communion of the Church of Christ. 
Concerning however the Church of Scotland, with all its sects, he 
unhesitatingly pronounces that "they form no part of the Church 
of Christ:" "that all the temporal enactments and powers of the 
whole world could not cure this fault, nor render them a portion of 
the Church of Christ. (Page 629. volume 1st.) 

As to the Roman Catholics, he admits those in Italy and on the 
Continent to be true Churches of Christ, though corrupted with false 
doctrine and evil practices, while he affirms that those of England, 
and their descendants in America, are not parts of the Church of 
Christ, because they were schismatics from the Church of England, 
and because it is doubtful whether their Bishops were formally con- 
secrated by three Bishops, according to the primitive and general 
practice of the Church. He thinks it irregular on the part of the 
Enghsh Church to admit these ordinations; but says it was doubt- 
less done in the way of charity, and in the hope of reclaiming them. 
Of course for the same reason the American Church should disallow 



30 

In relation to the ministry of the Church, to which, under the 



their ordination, or else allow the ordination of all other denomina- 
tions in the same hope. 

Into such doubts, perplexities and difficulties, are we brought by- 
attempting, in a spirit bordering on infallibility, to decide such ques- 
tions. Were it not better to pronounce them wrong in doctrine, dis- 
cipline, practice, where we think them contrary to God's word and 
Apostolic practice, to protest against separation and schism, and de- 
cline fellowship in the things wherein we think they have erred, so 
as to deserve such action on our part; but forbear to undertake a 
task so fearful as that of pronouncing large bodies of Christians to 
be absolutely cut off from the Church of God? 

Very different are the views of Bishop Jewell, of Hooker, and 
others of the Reformers. Bishop Jewell, condemning the Romanists 
for confining the grace of God to the Church, as defined by them, 
having the Pope lor its head, says "God's grace is promised only to 
a good mind, and to any one that feareth him; not to sees and suc- 
cessions." Mr. Palmer says it is promised only to the Church, and 
then defines the Church so as to cut off immense numbers of Chris- 
tians who give every evidence of sound faith, and pious lives. 

The following are the sentiments of Mr. Hooker. "The Church 
of God may therefore contain both them that are not his, yet must 
be reputed his, by us who know not their inward thoughts ; and them 
whose apparent^wickedness testifyeth, even in the sight of the whole 
world, that God abhorreth them." For to this, and no other purpose, 
are meant those parables which our Saviour in the Gospel hath, con- 
cerning mixture of virtue with vice, light with darkness, truth with 
error, as well and openly seen and known, as a cunningly cloaked 
mixture. That which separateth therefore utterl}', that which eut- 
teth off clear from the visible Church of Christ, is plain Apostasie, 
direct denial, utter rejection of the whole Christian faith, as far as the 
same is professedly different from infidelity. Heretics, as touching 
those points of doctrine wherein they fail ; schismatics, as touching 
the quarrels for which, or the duties wnerein they divide themselves 
from their brethren ; loose, licentious and wicked persons, as touch- 
ing their several offences and crimes, have all forsaken the true 
Church of God ; the Church which is sound and sincere in the doctrine 
which they corrupt; the Church which keepeth the bond of unity which 
they violate; the Church which walketh in the laws of righteousness 
which they transgress; this very true Church of Christ they have 
left — howbeit, not altogether leftj^nor forsaken simply (that is entire- 
ly) the Church, on the main foundations whereof they continue built, 
notwithstanding these breaches, whereby they are rent at the top 
asunder. Now because for redress of professed errors and open 
schemes, it is, and must be, the Church's care, that aU may in out- 
ward conformity be one ; as the laudible politic of former days, even 
so our own, to that end and purpose, hath established divers laws, the 
moderate severity whereof^ is a mean both to stay the rest, and to 
reclaim those that have been led away." (Ecclesiastical Polity, 5th 
book.) 

In consistency with the above, when speaking, in his third book, of 
the Church of Rome, he says, "For, even as the Apostle doth say of 
Israel, that they are in one respect enemies, but in another beloved 



31 

present head, the rule was to be applied, I will only remark, that 



of God; in like sort with Rome, we dare not communicate concerning 
sundry her grievous and gross abominations, yet touching those 
nearer parts of Christian truth wherein they constantly persist, we 
gladly acknowledge them to be of the family of Jesus Christ." Speak- 
ing in ihe same place of the dissenters who then excommunicated 
not only the Church of Rome, but that of England also, he adds: 
"As those are who make the Church of Rome utterly no church at 
all, by reason of so many so grievous errors in their doctrine ; so we 
have them amongst us who, m pretence ot imagined corruptions of 
our discipline, do give even as hard a judgment of the Church of 
England herself. But whatsoever either the one or the other do 
teach, we must acknowledge even heretics themselves to be, though 
a maimed part, yet a part of the visible Church." 

In another place, applying the principle which he had set forth, he 
says, "In which respect, Ibr mine own part, although I see that certain 
reformed churches, the Scottish especially, and French, have not that 
which best agreeth with sacred scripture, I mean the government by 
Bishops," yet he adds "This their defect and imperfection I had rather 
lament, than exagitate, considering that men oftentimes without any 
fault of their own may be driven to want that kind of politic or rejiment 
which is best, and to content themselves with that which either the 
irremediable error of former time, or the necessity of the present, hath 
cast upon them." 

It is sometimes asked, if notwithstanding, as is believed, an Apos- 
tolic constitution of the Church, with a gradation of officers, and the 
continuance of the same with all reverence and fidelity for more than 
fifteen hundred years, there may under certain circumstances be a 
partial departure, without losing fellowship with the Catholic Church, 
the body of Christ, and forfeiting the promises of the Covenant, what 
advantage have those who have adhered to, and what evils do they suf- 
fer who have departed from, the appointed order'? Why may not any 
others depart when it may seem expedient, seeing that they may 
still retain the most important thing, a part in the Church of God? 

To this it may be replied, there is great difference between 
a loss, and the loss of all; between a sin unto death, and a sin 
not unto death; between life, though with the lo&s of some of our 
limbs, and the death of the whole body ; between an estrangement in 
some things, and total separation from some individual, or body. 
Are there not many reasons why we should greatly prefer, consci- 
entiously adhere to, and on no account consent to depart from, our 
own Church, seeing, beside other advantages of a Liturgy, etc. we 
believe it to be the lineal descendant of the Apostolic Church, consti- 
tuted, as that was, in conformity with the will of God, and handed 
down to us from age to age ; although we cannot be certain that any 
omission, in some part thereof, no matter for what cause, must be 
absolutely destructive to its existence as a Church? Can we not la- 
ment and condemn a departure from this order in others, and endea- 
vor by all proper means to persuade them to return to it, believing 
that it is more or less sinful not to do it, and that many judgments of 
God are inflicted on men for their deviation from his appointment? 
May we not even decline fellowship with them in those things where- 
in we think they are defective, and yet not feel bound by consistency, 



32 



while we dare not lessen our office, seeing that God has appointed 
it such as it is, and will make us give an account to him, so we must 
not magnify it by claiming more of authority and grace than is given 
us to use and bestow. It is one of the great proofs of the divine ap- 
pointment of the ministry, that whenever it is exercised faithfully 
and piously, it is most highly honoured of man, and greatly blessed 
of God. No man will despise even the youth of a Timothy, who 
is an example to believers in all good things. At all times, and in 
all countries, faithful ministers have had as much influence as was 
safe either for themselves or others. Unhappily for religion, in 
times when they were not faithful, the doctrines of the Gospel have 
been perverted so as to give them a tremendous power which God 
never designed. To such a pitch was this carried, that God, at one 
time, raised up violent reformers, who boldly proclaimed to the world 
the usurpations and corruptions of the priesthood ; and at another, 



and sound reasoning, to deny any validity whatever to their minis- 
tration, and any connexion of the churches with the body of Christ? 
Does the conduct of God in regard to his people Israel justify such 
a course on our part? Notwithstanding all their sins, neglects and 
rebellions, and all his heavy judgments on them, did he ever cast 
them off until they rejected himself, "when he came to his own, and 
his own received him not?" Even in relation to the ten tribes, who 
under Jeroboam so far revolted as to desert the temple, the great 
instrument of unity amongst them, and to set up worship at other 
places, and to have other priests than of the tribe of Levi, contrary 
to express command, it does not appear that they were cast away 
and ceased to be any of God's people, although the dreadful judg- 
ments of God upon them, and the utter extirpation of their leaders, 
faintly show the heavy displeasure of God, and may well be adduced 
in every age as awful warnings against schism and disobedience. 

Shall we not be much more likely to effect our object, the more 
perfect establishment of the members of our Church in its just claims, 
and true advantages, and in the persuading others candidly to exa- 
mine the same, when we follov/ the example of God towards his er- 
ring people, than by the harsher method of declaring them aliens 
from the kingdom of Christ, which is not more offensive than un- 
warranted by any clear word of God? Remember that "a brother 
offended is harder to be won than a strong city:" we ought to be most 
careful how we use an argument so calculated to offend, except in- 
deed it be plainly written in God's word, or most unavoidably infer- 
red from it. 

Do we not sometimes err in our judgments on such subjects by 
confounding together the perfection of God's laws, and the duty of 
implicit obedience to his institutions, things undoubted, and the man- 
ner in which those are to be regarded and treated who are not per- 
fect in all things to observe and do them? God wills and commands 
us to be perfect, even as he is ; and yet makes allowance for our im- 
perfection. God gave good laws and institutions to his ancient peo- 
ple, and yet he did not discard them, when, through the hardness of 
their hearts, they disobeyed some of them most grievously, but, as it 
were, for a time permitted it. 



33 



in awful judgment permitted, by a dreadful reaction, the tyranny of 
the priesthood, and the superstition of the people, to lead to one of 
the most atrocious revolutions, under the banners of infidelity and 
anarchy, that ever afliicted the human race — when the streets of 
Paris literally flowed with the blood of the slain. Even now, we 
hear it sometimes almost lamented that Protestant ministers have not 
more of that command over the laity, which those of the Church 
of Rome so effectually exercise, as in some raging mob, when the 
members of that Church are engaged in a strife so deadly, that 
nothing but the presence of a Priest, and the dread of excommuni- 
cation, can quell its fury ; but had we not better inquire why it is, 
that that mighty power is not exerted in preventing the evil before- 
hand, by teaching the people to believe in an ever-present God, and 
fear his anger, far more than the anathema of the priest? Surely 
none can read and know of the abuse of the mighty power of that 
priesthood, and wish that there were more like it on the earth. 

The rule applied to some lesser matters^ as ceremonies^ etc. 

Let us now consider, how, according to the wise law of due pro- 
portion, which bids us attend to great things mainly, but not despise 
little things, we ought to esteem some of those things called cere- 
monies, usages relating to churches, times of prayer, etc. By dis- 
putes concerning them in times past, religion has suffered no little 
injury. May the Great Head of the Church prevent it in all time 
to come. That religion has sometimes been burthened with so many 
ceremonies as to become a yoke of bondage, none can doubt. St. 
Augustine complains that in his time, "Religion, which God in his 
mercy hath made free, with few and clear sacraments, is made more 
burthensome than ever was the Jewish." The same complaint was 
made by the Reformers concerning the Church of Rome. In one 
of the prefaces of the Church of England, she declares, as a reason 
for abolishing many of them, "that the excessive number of them 
was so great, and many of them so dark, that they did more con- 
found and darken, than declare and set forth Christ's benefits unto 
us." If any be still disposed to continue the idle charge of too 
much assimilation to the Church of Rome, in respect to any such 
things, on the part of the Episcopal Church of England, or America, 
let them only think upon the number of those things which were 
cast off, as worse than useless. Let them only compare the majes^ 
tic simplicity of our ceremonies, with the fantastic variety of those 
of Rome at this very day. Take, for instance, the solemn office of 
ordination in the two churches, concerning which Bishop Pilkington, 
speaking of the vain ceremonies of the Romanists, and the simpli- 
city of the ancients, which latter was adopted by the Reformers, 
says, quoting from an early writer, "In making their priests and 
bishops, they used no more ceremonies than to bring him that was 
to be called a Bishop to kneel before the altar, to lay the Bible on 
his head, and the Bishop his hands also, with certain prayers and 
5 



34 



salutations. This simple fashion was used of old time, without any 
further ado. And yet our Bishops which follow this ancient simpli- 
city, are blamed that they have devised new fashions of their own, 
which were never heard of before." i 

Bishop Taylor remarks, '■'that there is reason to celebrate and ho- 
nor the wisdom and prudence of the Church of England, which 
hath, in all her offices, retained but one ritual or ceremony, that is 
not of divine ordinance, or Apostolic practice; and that is, the cross 
in Baptism ; which, though it be a significant ceremony, and of no 
other use, yet as it is a compliance with the practice of all ancient 
Churches, so it is very innocent in itself, and being one and alone, 
is in no regard troublesome." Moreover, she hath taken care to 
declare concerning this, "that the sign of the cross, used in baptism, 
is no part of the substance of the sacrament, neither doth add to 
the virtue and perfection of it." 

Our American Church has left it optional with the persons pre- 



i In adopting this and other things from the Fathers, which the Ro- 
manists charged as innovations, Bishop Pilkington says very happily, 
"Ha3c novitas, non est novitas, sed vera vetustas." The Reformers 
ever delighted, as well they might, to go back to the times nearest the 
ApostIes,not merely as an answer to the Romanists, who pretended io 
claim the Fathers as being for them, but because, when the thing was 
good in itself, and according to God's word, it was dearer to them for its 
ancient observance, and received confirmation from that fact. Still it 
was no blind and superstitious reverence lor old ways, which actuated 
them. Bishop Pilkington says in another place, "The text of Jeremiah, 
that bids them search out the old way, and walk in it, does not mean ail 
old ways; but he says — search of the old ways which of them is 
good, and walk in it; as though he should say, all old ways are not good. 
If all old ways were good, he would not bid them try which were 
good ; therefore it is not enough to have it old, but to have it good 
also, and then to cleave to it." '"Evil has been Irom the beginning, 
as well as good; and there have been in all ages evil Fathers, as 
well as good. Cyprian therefore notes well and goodly, saying, 
that "Christ said not, that he was ancient custom, but that he was 
truth itself. To follow Christ then, and his doctrine, is to follow the 
true old way ; for he is both the truth itself, and was from the begin- 
ning; and those Fathers who follow not his steps, are not our mark 
to follow, though the woi'ld do never so much reverence them." 
(See works of Pilkington, page 537.) 

Bishop Ridley says, "The Fathers have both herbs and weeds; and 
Papists commonly gather the weeds, and leave the herbs. And they 
(the Fathers) speak many times more vehemently in sound of words^ 
than they did mean indeed, or than they would have done, if they had 
foreseen what sophistical wranglers should have succeeded them." 
"In all ages the devil hath stirred up some light heads to esteem the 
sacraments but lightly, as to be empty and bare signs; whom the 
Fathers have resisted so fiercely, that in their fervor they seem, in 
sound of words, to run too far the other way, and to give too much 
to the sacraments, when they did think more measurably." (See 
works of Bishop Ridley, page 114. Parker Library.) 



35 



senting the child, to have it used or not, though we believe the omis- 
sion is never required. The author, in the course of a ministry of 
more than thirty years, does not recollect ever to have heard a scru- 
ple concerning it. As to ceremonies and traditions in general, the 
Church has wisely decided, that it is not necessary "that they should 
be in all places one, or utterly alike; for at all times they have been 
divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, 
times, and men's manners; so that nothing be ordained against God's 
word." See Article 34. 

It must however be acknowledged, that there have been times 
when some of her defenders, as well as of her enemies, have, on 
some points of outward observance, violated this rule of proportion, 
to the sad dishonor of religion. In the time of Queen Elizabeth 
especially, herself too much given to the pomp and circumstance of 
worship, the disputes about vestments, and some other things, were 
most disgraceful to religion. At a later period, the Biographer of 
Mr. Hooker, (the Bishop of Exeter) in his dedication to Charles II., 
speaking of the causes which led to the downfall of the Church in 
the days of Cromwell, says, that besides the sins of the people, "The 
strength of the Church was much decayed and undermined, before 
it was openly battered, partly by some superfluous, illegal, and un- 
authorized innovations in point of ceremony, which some affected 
to use in public, and impose upon others;" and again, because "They 
were immoderately intent upon mere formalities, and more zealous 
for an outward conformity to those shadows, than for that inward 
or outward conformity with Christ, in holy hearts and unblameable 
lives, which most adorn true religion." Concerning some of these 
things, and those Avho violently opposed them, Mr. Hooker had be- 
fore said, "^By them which trouble us with these doubts, we would 
more willingly be resolved of a greater doubt : whether it be not a 
taking of God's name in vain, to debase religion with such frivolous 
disputes; a sin to bestow time and labor about them." Bishop Jew- 
ell, also, was truly mortified at the attempt to impose some things 
on those who were averse, saying of himself and his fellow Reformers, 
"W e are not so free from more important cares, as to be able to set 
such value on these trifles;" and well does his American Biographer 
and Annotator say, that it is no wonder "they should have felt vex- 
ed at petty enactments about hoods and capes, which hardly deserve 
a milder epithet than superlatively ridiculous." (See p. 50, Memoirs 
of Jewell, by the present Bishop of Maryland; w^hich, together with 
Jewell's Apology, is worthy of being read by all the ministers and 
members of our Church.) It is not wonderful that Bishop Burnet, 
and other wise men, should have condemned the conduct of some, 
who, having rule in the Church of England, w^ere too strenuous in 
insisting upon some trivial matters, instead of following the advice 
of Nazianzen, the Father who said, "Come, let us give way, that so 
we may overcome; let us grant a little, that so we may gain a great 
deal — even peace." 

Still, however, though religion has been deeply wounded in the 



36 



house of her friends, by bitter strifes and persecution about such 
things, yet are they not to be set aside as unworthy of our regard. 
Decent apparel, houses of worship, postures of prayer, times and sea- 
sons for prayer, public and private, are deserving of our regard. 

As to the respect due to the temples of religion, although the 
minds and bodies of Christians are the chief temples of God, in 
which he delights to dwell, and which should be kept pure and ho- 
ly; although our outward houses of worship are only holy because 
God's people are holy who resort thither, and exercise themselves 
in holy and heavenly things; yet there is an attention due to them, 
the neglect of which cannot but be offensive to God, In a few pas- 
sages from one of our homilies, we will present this duty to the 
ministers and members of the diocese, and beg them to take heed 
thereto. "It is a common custom, when any intend to have their 
friends and neighbors to come to their houses, to eat or drink 
with them, or to have any solemn assembly, to treat and talk 
of any matter, they will have their houses, which they keep in con- 
tinual reparation, to be clean and fine, lest they should be counted 
sluttish, or little to regard their friends and neighbors. How much 
more then ought the house of God, which we commonly call the 
church, to be sufficiently repaired in all places, and to be honora- 
bly adorned and garnished, and to be kept clean and sweet, to the 
comfort of the people that shall resort thereto." "If a man's private 
house wherein he dwelleth be decayed, he will never cease till it be 
restored up again. Yea, if his barn wherein he keepeth his corn be 
out of reparation, what diligence useth he, to make it in perfect state 
again. If his stable for his horse, yea, the sty for his swine, be not 
able to hold out water and wind, how careful is he to do cost there- 
on. And shall we be so mindful of our common base houses, de- 
puted to so vile employment, and be forgetful towards the house of 
God, where be treated the words of our eternal salvation, wherein 
be administered the sacraments and mysteries of our redemption?" j 
I hope that these sentences will not pass unheeded where they 
are needed, and that when the churches are thus prepared, the 
whole conduct of the worshippers may, without superstition, be de- 
vout, reverent, and becoming the object for which they are erect- 
ed, and kept in order, both in, and around the house; remembering 
that "the Lord is in his holy temple," and that on no occasion did he 



j If any should suppose that the Reformers were not sufficiently 
particular in banishing from the Church things which were abused 
to evil purposes, let them remember their zeal in removing those 
altars, at which the Lord's supper had been turned into a sacrifice, and 
the Christian minister made far more of a sacrificer than the Jewish 
priest; how, in place thereof, they substituted a simple table, on 
which a supper, after the example of our Lord, and by his command, 
was spread in remembrance of his death. Let them read also the 
homily on the peril of Idolatry, wherein all kinds of images, and 
pictures in churches, are condemned, whether of our Lord, or of 
saintSc 



37 



show more holy indigndtion while on earth, than in punishing a pro- 
fanation of his house. 

As to the frequency of attendance upon it, so various are the cir- 
cumstances of our people, so scattered their abodes, so many are the 
difficulties of assembling, that it is impossible to say any thing more 
than that they must meet less frequently, than could be wished, 
though they might meet much oftener than they do, if the importance 
of it were duly estimated. But it is a matter of rejoicing, that by 
the multiplication of Bibles, and pious books of all kinds, through 
the medium of the press, and the increase of education, such fre- 
quent assemblages are not now so necessary to us, as they were to 
the ancients, or to our Fathers: since each of us in his own home, 
and with his family, may do each day, what God caused to be done 
in his temple for our example ; offer up our daily morning and even- 
ing sacrifices unto the praise of his name. 

Yea more, although as individuals, we cannot be ever so near 
some temple of religion, whose door is always open to receive us, 
yet the ears of the Lord of the temple are ever open to hear the 
most secret whispers of our hearts, breathing forth our prayers and 
praises. And here let me say to my brethren of the ministry, and of 
the laity, on the counsel, and after the example, of the devout and 
holy of every age, the greatest punctuality which is practicable to 
us, in respect to the times and seasons, for private as well as public 
prayer, ought to be observed by us ; for in nothing with which we 
have to do, is method, and a conscientious attention to duty, more 
necessary to success, than in prayer and holy reading. Bishop 
Butler, speaking of secret prayer, says, ''It comprehends not only 
devotions before men begin, and after they have ended the business 
of the day, but such as also may be performed while they are em- 
ployed in it, or even in company. And truly, if, besides our more 
set devotions morning and evening, all of us would fix upon certain 
times of the day, so that the return of the hour shonld remind us 
to say short prayers, or exercise our thoughts in a way equivalent to 
this, perhaps there are few persons in so high and habitual a state 
of piety, as not to find the benefit. If it take up no more than a 
minute or two, or even less time than that, it would serve the end I 
am proposing; it would be a recollection that w'e are in the divine 
presence, and contribute to our being in the fear of the Lord all the 
day long." Very different in its nature and its effects, would be this 
secret recollection of God — this frequent uplifting of the heart in 
prayer, from the ostentatious prayers of the Pharisees, who contrived 
to be at the corners of the streets, when their seasons of prayer came 
round ; or of the ignorant Romanist, who will run through some 
form at the appointed moment, no matter where, or how; or of the 
superstitious Turk, who will fall down in the streets, if he be not near 
enough to his mosque, at the well known signal. 

Nor, my brethren, must we regard as among the superstitious 
ceremonies those more solemn seasons of devotion, which, after the 
example of the devout Jews, at th^' command of God, the pious of 



38 



every age have observed. Here, also, let ns apply the rule which we 
have been advocating. Our blessed Lord, while condemning tlie many 
traditions and commandments of men, which made void the law of 
God, yet, together with his apostles, punctually attended those great 
feasts which had been appointed to commemorate God's wonderful 
dispensation to Israel. So did our Reformers, while discarding all 
the anniversary celebrations of the canonized saints of Rome, and 
many other vain observances, yet faithfully retain those which 
bring before our minds and hearts the great leading facts and doc- 
trine of the Gospel, in such a manner as to give them the deepest 
and most abiding impression; an impression, not weakened by the 
recollection that thus it ever had been with the people of God. 
Nor let us discard as unworthy of our use, because of its past and 
present abuse, that instrument ot mortification to the body of sin, 
which the pious of every age have used, and found effectual by the 
grace of God — I mean fasting with prayer ; which together being 
rightly used, cast out some demons, too strong to be dispossessed in 
any other way. What though it has been perverted to purposes of 
hypocrisy and superstition ; what though it has been substituted in 
part for the very justifying righteousness of Christ; if it be accord- 
ing to God's will, these are only proofs how hateful it is to the great 
enemy who hath set himself too effectually to prevent it, as he has 
the holy sacraments, and every part of our blessed religion. Because 
it is now so falsely pretended to, and abused in the Roman Church ; 
and even though, as commended by some in our own, it has been 
made to interfere in some measure with the alone merits of Christ; 
let us not think for a moment of relinquishing it, but receive it as 
coming from a higher source, and use it as we find it set forth in 
scripture, and faithfully explained in the homilies. 

Let a due measure of abstinence at certain times from that food 
which we are so apt to use immoderately, be accompanied with long 
and deep, and thorough self-examination, going down into the depths 
of sin in the heart, finding out more and more of our abominations, 
until filled with more and more of horror at ourselves, we cry out in 
dismay, "wretched beings that we are! who shall deliver us from 
the body of this death .^"; and only feel that we have gotten the 
blessing in proportion as we are able to come out of our wretched 
selves, and to cast our souls on the grace of the Redeemer. Any 
season of fasting and prayer which does not end in this, in deeper 
humility and more entire reliance on his blood, and lead to more 
self-denial in other things, and diligence in all good works, is not 
such a fast as is acceptable to God. k 



k In nothing ought the ministers of God to be more careful, in ob- 
serving this law of proportion, than in the exhibition of the doctrines 
and dulies of religion, the faith that saves, and the works which are 
the fruits of it, and which are the means of its perfection ; the Spirit 
which quickenp, and the graces which proceed from it. 

The Apostle enjoins it on Titus, to " attend to the things which be- 



39 



The rule applied to religious controversy. 

I shall now draw this charge to a close, by applying the rule to the 
subject of religious controversy; than which, none has been fraught 
with more painful interest to the friends of true piety in every age 
of the Christian Church. 

There are no passages in the latter portions of the New Testament 
so distressing, as those which refer to the unhappy disputes among 
the early followers of our Lord, shewing that even then it was ne- 
cessary to take heed lest they should "so bite and devour one 
another; and be "consumed one of another;-' and to avoid "fool- 
ish and unlearned questions, which do gender strifes." I Thus, 
however, in spite of the inspired warnings, did it continue, and 
the bitter fruits of it have been reaped in every age. The Fathers 
are full of complaints of the dissentions in their several days. Of 

come sound doctrine," and then tells him how to do this, by exhort- 
ing different persons to the duties and virtues belonging to their age 
and station; and again, how strongly does he urge him "to affirm 
co7istantly that they which have believed in God be careful to main- 
tain good works !" A neglect of such right distribution of the word, 
must be attended with evil. It will not do to say with some, that 
the new nature given to the Christian will of its own accord, and of 
necessity, do all such good works, without this urgmg. It will not 
do them, but will neglect many of them, unless ministers, after the 
example of oar Lord and his Apostles, urge them to abound therein. 
Religion has suffered much from the evil effects of this neglect on 
the part of its ministers. Our Lord and the Apostles set us an ex- 
ample of faithful warnings, even as to things which some ministers now 
think unworthy of their notice ; or say. if the hearts of the people be 
rightly instructed in doctrines, they will need no warning, but will of 
themselves avoid the evil thereof. They did not think it beneath them 
to enjoin simplicity and economy in dress, such as becometh Chris- 
tians, and to warn against revellings, banquetings, and such like 
things ; and unless these are now properly discoursed of, in private 
and public, by the ministry, right views and practice will not prevail 
amongst the people. In relation to them, and all other things, the 
only rule is, " If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of 
God." In the scriptures v/e have instructive examples of the right 
exhibition of faith and works. Faith comes first, but we must see and 
add to it, " virtue, and knowledge," and the other kindred graces. 

I The wretched effects of religious bigotry, and the cruel persecu- 
tions to which it has led, have often caused the infidel and scoffer to 
say, in the language of the poet, "Tantum religio potuit suadere 
malorum;" but it should be remembered, that it was not religion, 
but its perversion — superstition — which was guilty. It has been 
truly said, "Religio facit homines e feris ; superstitio e hominibus fe- 
ras." If it be still said that pious Christians and ministers have been 
engaged in such persecutions, it should be remembered in mitigation, 
that, from the connexion between the civil and religious establish- 
ments of those countries where such persecutions have prevailed, 
the sins, which were so severely punished, partook of disobedience 
towards the laws, and civil magistrates, and became rebellion, and 
therefore som& severity was not so easily avoided. 



40 



one period, Erasmus says, "In those days it was a great point of 
cunning, to know how to be a Christian man." The good Hooker, 
in closing his work in defence of the English Church against nu- 
merous most idle cavils, and unfounded charges, quotes from Gregory 
Nazianzen, and adopts as his own, and suitable to his day, the fol- 
lowing pathetic words; "My mind leadeth me to fly, and to convey 
myself into some corner out of sight, where J may scape from this 
cloudie tempeste of maliciousness, whereby all parts are entered 
into a deadly war amongst themselves, and that little remnant of 
love which was, is now consumed to nothing. The only godliness 
we glory in, is to find out somewhat whereby we may judge others 
to be ungodly. Each other's faults we observe, as matters of ex- 
probration, and not of grief m By these means, we are grown hate- 
ful in the eyes of the Heathen themselves; and (which woundeth us 
the more deeply) able we are not to deny, that we have deserved 
their hatred. With the better sort of our own, our credit is clean 
lost." Mr. Hooker then concludes with the hope, that the conten- 
tions in England were at that tune at their highest pitch; and, as to 
the man who would in any way help to appease them, prays that 
"the blessings of the God of peace may be upon him, both in this 
world and in that which is to come, more than the stars in ,the fir- 
mament in number." His longing for peace reminds us of the words 
of the good Melancthon, who, amongst several reasons why he 
longed for Heaven, mentioned, as not the least, that "there he should 
be delivered from religious controversy." Our homilies, written by 
Cranmer, and Jewell, and others, who of necessity deeply engaged 
in controversy, and well knew its sad efiects, have some excellent 
advice on this subject. In that against contention, it is said, "that 
among all kinds of contention, none is more hurtful than is conten- 
tion in matters of religion." "0 body mystical of Christ, where is 
that holy and happy unity, out of the which whosoever is, he is 
not in Christ!" "We cannot be joined to Christ, our head, if we be 
not glued with charity and concord one to another." "Let us so 
read the scriptures, that by reading thereof we be made the better 
livers, rather than the more contentious disputers." 

m The religious press occupies a position of fearful responsibility 
in this country, tar more than in any other ; for religious papers 
abound more here than elsewhere. It was at an early period in their 
history, that some reflecting persons questioned wheiher more of 
good or evil would result from them. As that must depend on the 
manner in which they are conducted, let all pray that a large share 
of the spirit of truth, candor, and love may be poured out on those 
who conduct them, and those who contribute to them. It should be re- 
membered into how many families they enter, and that they ought to 
enter, as far as possible,;iike ministers ol Christ, saying, "Peace be to this 
house, and to all that dwell therein." Especially should it be borne in 
mind, that by very many ot the Laity, they are reserved for" Sunday 
reading, for the mornings or evenings of the Sabbath. I was once 
asked by a young Christian, concerning one of the rehgious papers 
in our country, whether it were right to read it on the Sabbath ; 1 was 
sorry to be unable to answer in the affirmative. 



41 



And yet, evil as religious controversy is, and much as we may 
long to be entirely free from it, in the present state of things it can- 
not be altogether avoided, without a neglect of duty to the cause of 
truth. When we are commanded, as much as lieth in us, to live 
peaceably with all men, there is evidently implied the impossibility of 
living altogether, and at all times, in such peace ; and the duty evi- 
dently is limited to the seeking for it, so far as a regard to truth and 
duty will allow, and others will permit. And, forasmuch as almost 
every man, in the words of the homily on Christian Love "maketh 
and formeth to himself charity after his own appetite," it is impor- 
tant that we should understand what that charity is, which "rejoiceth 
in the truth" — which is doubtless the same with that wisdom "which 
is from above, and is first pure, and then peaceable." Bishop Jewell 
says, "To have peace with man, we may not be at war with God." 
"The name of peace is a sweet and pleasant thing," saith Hilary: 
"but yet beware," he adds, "for peace is one thing, and bondage is 
another. For, if it should so be as they seek to have it, (speaking 
of the Romanists,) that Christ should be commanded to keep silence, 
that the truth of the Gospel should be betrayed, that horrible errors 
should be cloaked, that Christian men's eyes should be blinded, and 
that they should be suffered to conspire openly against God ; this 
were not a peace, but a most ungodly covenant of servitude." "There 
is a peace (saith Nazianzen) that is unprofitable — there is a discord 
that is profitable." For we must conditionally desire peace; so far 
as is lawful before God ; and so far as we may conveniently. For 
otherwise, Christ himself brought not peace into the world, but a 
sword." (See Jewell's Apology, page 155 — 6.) 

Since there were, and ever have been, many Anti-Christs ; since 
error in various forms is continually springing up in the Church of 
God, and ought to be opposed ; it is for us to consider how this is to 
be done so as to be attended with the least evil and most good. It 
is not a grace of easy attainment. Even the best and most peacea- 
ble men, who hate, and would shun controversy, and engage in it 
with the most determined resolution to conduct it aright, have cause 
to mourn over some errors of temper or language, into which they 
have been betrayed; and sometimes those most innocent in the begin- 
ning of a dispute, become most guilty before the close, from the 
wrong manner of conducting it; and those who plead for truth, in- 
jure it by a too violent spirit. Perhaps these things are permitted 
by Providence, in order to deter us from too readily engaging in 
controversy, seeing we are so apt to dishonor ourselves, and the 
cause which we espouse, n 

It would greatly help us to avoid the evils, and receive all the 
benefits of controversy, if we would carefully attend to the principle 

n "Good things do lose the grace of their goodness, when in good 
sort they are not performed." — Hooker. 

"There will come a time when three words uttered with chnrity and 
meekness will receive a far more blessed reward, than three thousand 
volumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit." — Idem. 
6 



42 



for which we are pleading, and let our zeal be proportioned to the 
certainty and importance of the things discussed. While we are 
bound earnestly to contend for the faiih — the great principles of re- 
ligion essential to salvation — so held by the great body of Christians 
in every age — we should maintain all other things according to the 
place, which a dispassionate consideration of scripture, and observa- 
tion upon their effects, seem to assign them. We have now the ex- 
perience of eighteen centuries to aid us in our judgment of the effects 
of different views, not only of the great doctrines of religion, but of 
the lesser and more doubtful ones ; and our reason is given us to be 
exercised thereon. If, with a sincere desire for truth, and in a spirit 
of brotherly kindness to all men, we endeavored to discuss these 
things according to their relative importance, then religious controver- 
sy would be not only less bitter and violent, but would oftener result 
in conviction and agreement. 

In the treatment of delicate, doubtful, and difficult points, we think 
our Reformers have vrith great Avisdom set an excellent example, in 
their manner of treating two subjects especially, about \vhich there 
has been, and will be, much divei-sity of opinion ; and the effect of 
their example has been most happy ever since in the Church, pre- 
serving it in a great measure from discord. I allude to the manner 
in which she has spoken of what are called the Divine decrees, and 
the constitution of the Church. Either by her silence as to some 
things, or her wise and cautious and comprehensive language as to 
others, she has satisfied almost all, and offended but few, and her 
ministers, though claiming, as she does not forbid, their right to go 
to a higher source for their private opinions on these subjects, yet, 
in their relations to each other as churchmen, feel bound not to 
require of each other, in order to fidelity to her, more than is plainly 
set forth. Wherefore, many persons though differing somewhat on 
these points, have lived together very happily in her communion. 

At times indeed, there have been some disposed to bring these 
subjects into more public discussion, and greater prominence, and to 
speak censoriously of those who differ from them ; but this has gen- 
erally been discouraged, although with the acknowledgement that 
there was entire liberty of opinion in the same, o 



Puller, in his work on the Moderation of the Church of England, 
adduces many passages from Bishops, and the injunctions of the con- 
stituted authorities, disapproving of introducing into the pulpits such 
points as are so disputable. " The judicious Bishop Sanderson, (he 
says) in his directions for the peace of the Church, lays down this as 
first : " That particular Churches should be as tender as may be, in 
giving their definitions and determinations, especially when there 
may be admitted a latitude of dissenting without prejudice done, 
either to the substance of the Catholic faith, or to the tranquility of 
the Church, or to the salvation of the dissenter; in which respect (he 
says) the moderation of the Church of England is much to be com- 
mended and preferred ; not only before the Roman Church, which 
with insufferable tyranny, bindeth all her children, under pain of 



43 



But whatever be the difference of sentiment as to the subjects 
which should be discussed, or the views to be taken of them, and 
conclusions drawn from them, surely there ought to be none as to 
the spirit in which they should be set forth. And indeed a 
proper spirit will be one of the best guides to us, in deciding the 
relative importance of things. If, in meekness and love we endeavor 
to instruct those that oppose themselves, we shall scarcely fall into 
the evil of condemning them too much for pardonable errors. The 
violent are generally wrong in their judgments and decisions. But 
even when there can be no doubt whatever, as to the certainty and 
greatness of the corruption in doctrine and practice, of those whom 
it is our duty to condemn, we should beware of any thing unbecom- 
ing in the manner, or exaggerated in the language which is used. " If 
by froward answering to a froward person, there were hope to 
remedy his frowardness, he should less offend that should so an- 
swer, doing the same, not of ire, or malice, but only on that intent, 



damnation, to all her determinations, even in these points which are 
no way necessary to salvation ; but also before sundry other reformed 
Churches, who have proceeded further than this Church hath done." 
Bishop Bramhall says, ''If it were not for this disciphnarian humor 
which will admit of no latitude in reliorion but makes each nicety a 
fundamental, and every private opinion an article of faith; which 
prefers particular errors before general truths ; I doubt not but all 
reformed Churches would easily be reconciled. Wherefore, in such 
points which may be held diversely of divers men, I would not take 
any man's liberty from him, and humbly beseech all men, that they 
would not take mine from me." 

Bishop Andrews also, on the deep points of predestination and elec- 
tion, says, "I truly and mgenuously confess, I have followed the 
counsel of St. Austin. These mysteries which I cannot unfold, I ad- 
mire them shut ; and therefore for these sixteen years since 1 was 
made Priest, I neither publicly nor privately have disputed nor preach- 
ed of them. And truly smce it is a slippery place, and hath on either 
side its precipices ; and since these places of St. Paul are always es- 
teemed among those which are hard to be understood; and many of 
the clergy are neither fit to explain them, nor many of the people can 
be idoneous hearers, I would even persuade silence on both sides : and 
truly I judge it to be more expedient that our people be taught to 
seek salvation in the plain way of an holy and upright life, than in 
the hidden paths of the divine counsels ; into which, a too curious in- 
spection use to cause giddiness, in their heads, and mists before their 
eyes." 

From the injunctions issued under different reigns as to preaching, 
he cites one which speaks of the ''extravagance of sundry young di- 
vines, who took upon them in their popular sermons to handle the 
deep points of God's eternal counsels and decrees, and other fruitless 
controversies ; serving rather to amuse, than profit the hearer ; which 
is done for the most part, and with greatest confidence, by such per- 
sons as least understand them." He also quotes many other advices 
to the same effect, as to religious controversy, which have much wis- 
dom, (Seep. 124, and onwards.) 



44 



that he that is so froward or malicious may be reformed. But he 

that cannot mend another man's fault, or cannot amend it without 
his own fault, better it were that one should perish than two. Then 
if he. cannot quiet him with gentle words, at least let him not follow 
him with wicked and uncharitable words." ( Homily on Contention.) 
What is said in our homilies, on the subject of the proper mode of 
carrying on contention had doubtless a reference chiefly to the dif- 
ferences with the Church of Rome. Nor would we wish to forget them 
even now, in the disputes with that most corrupt Church in her 
vigorous efforts to regain what she had lost. 

It is a most solemn duty resting on Protestants to expose fully, 
and in strong language, now as of old, the false doctrines of Popery ; 
to adopt the most effectual means for acquainting an ignorant world 
with the truth on this subject, by the statement of facts in her past 
and present history, and by the faithful exhibition, from authentic 
documents, of her real principles and character; but still let the 
greatest care be taken not to color, or exaggerate in the least degree, 
whether we consider the sacred regard due to truth and charity, or 
the effect of such a course upon the cause itself Let us have in 
view not merely the preservation of others from her corruption, but 
even, forlorn as it may seem, the hope of her own reformation, p 



p As a specimen of the proper spirit which should regulate our ex- 
posures of the corruptions of the Roman Church, we would refer to 
the recent essays of our late presiding Bishop, and the work of the 
Bishop of Vermont addressed to the Romanists. 

Bishop Ridley says, " that the truth neither needeth. nor will be 
maintained with lies. It is also a true common proverb, " that it is 
even sin to lie upon [against] the Devil, for though by thy lie, thou 
dost never so much speak against the Devil, yet in that thou liest, 
indeed thou workest the Devil's work; thou dost him service, and 
takest the Devil'spart." (Ridley's Works, p. 10.) To make false views 
of religion, or those which we think so, appear as evil as possible, 
strong is the temptation not only to think ill of those holding them, 
but to represent their character in the worst light, as a justification of our 
strong condemnation. Iris said that one of the persecutors of Archbish- 
op Laud, (who, notwithstanding all his high views and arbitary mea- 
sures, both in Church and State, which contributed no little to the 
temporary downfall of both, was doubtless a sincere and pious man,) 
in reply to one who said he was a good man, declared " be he never 
so good, we must now make him ill for our own sakes !" Let all 
Christians remember this, when they are opposing what they believe 
to be error, and are tempted to misrepresent those who differ from 
them. 

The charge of schismatic and heretic, (which among the Fathers, 
and Reformers also, were often used to denote the same thing,) is too 
freely made, even to the extent of cutting off the accused from the body 
of Christ's Church. We may feel bound to charge persons with 
holding false and heretical opinions, and with needlessly separating 
from a Church, so as to offend God and injure religion ; but to declare 
them positively to be heretics, or schismatics, in the sense above men- 
tioned, is to assume too much of the infallibility of Rome. In repel- 



45 



And if such be our duly as to the greatest corruptions of our 
blessed religion, then surely, eveiwuore so should it be as to those 
whose ancestors, together with our own, fought the battles of the 
Reformation, and who now, on many a field of Christendom, and 
of the yet unconverted world, must renew the combat. Archbishop 
Sancroft, whose Churchmanship, we may say high Churchmanship, 
none can question, drew up some advices for his clergy, at a time 
when Popery was seeking to regain her power in England, which 
are marked by a wisdom and piety worthy of admiration ; and from 
which I select the following: "Lastly, they were charged to walk 
in wisdom towards those who were not of their communion, confer- 
ring with them in the spirit of meekness, and seeking by all good 
ways and means to win them over; more especially, with respect to 
their brethren, the Protestant Dissenters, "that, upon occasions of- 
fered, they visit them at their houses, and receive them kindly at 
their own, and treat them fairly whenever they meet them ; persuad- 
ing them, if it may be, to a full compliance with our Church; or at 
least that "whereunto we have all attained, we may all walk by the 
same rule, and mind the same thing." And in order hereunto, that 
they take all opportunities of assuring and convincing them, that the 
Bishops of this Church are really and sincerely irreconcilable ene- 
mies to the eriors, superstitions, idolatries, and tyrannies, of the 
Church of Rome ; and that the very unkind jealousies, which some 
have had of us to the contrary, were entirely groundless. And in the 
last place, that they warmly and most affectionately exhort them to 
form with us a daily fervent prayer to the God of peace, for the uni- 
versal, blessed union of all reformed Churches, both at home, and 
abroad, against our common enemies; that all they, who do confess 
the holy name of our dear Lord, and do agree in the truth of his 
holy word, may also meet in one holy communion, and live in per- 
fect unity, and godly love." — (Southey's Book of the Church, volume 
2d, page 495.) 



ling such a charge. Bishop Jewell says, "For where they call us 
heretics, it is a crime so heinous, that unless it may be seen, unless 
it may be felt, and in a manner maybe holden with hands and fingers 
it ought not lightly to be judged or beheved, when it is laid to the 
charge of any Christian. For heresy is a forsaking of salvation — a 
renouncing of God's grace — a departing from the body and spirit of 
Christ." (Jewell's Apology, p. 24.) 

Bishop Ridley says, "Our Saviour Christ, when they called him a 
Samaritan, a friend of publicans and sinners, a drunkard, etc., held 
his tongue and made no answer; but when they said he hath a devil 
he said, I have no devil." And then he mentions a case of one who 
was charged with all manner of crimes, but said nothing, until they 
called him heretic, and then he said, "I am a sinner, but I am not an 
heretic." Being asked why he answered to that, rather than the 
other ; he said, he learnt of Christ his master, to suffer lies, but not 
his doctrine to be touched; for heresy separates a man from God." 



CONCLUSION. 



In the application of the various remarks which have been made, 
and sentiments adduced, all more or less tending to the one point 
aimed at in this charge, let me now conclude with the expression of 
an earnest hope, and prayer, that God may give wisdom and grace 
to the Episcopal Church in America, to form an accurate estimate of 
all these things alluded to, and to act accordingly. On very many 
accounts our Church according to her numbers, occupies a most in- 
fluential and responsible position in this country, by the acknow- 
ledgment of all. ISTot only does her own character and prosperity, 
but the honor and welfare of Christ's kingdom upon earth, depend 
in no slight degree, upon the part she shall act. The intelligence 
of her clergy, the wealth, and respectability, and high refinement of 
her laity, her origin and past history, her well established claim to 
be as nearly conformed as is practicalDle to the Churches founded by 
the Apostles ; these and many other considerations, make a loud 
call upon her ministers and members, to see that the cause entrusted 
to them shall suffer no injury through any weaknesses, or false judg- 
ment, or extravagance on their part, q In order to their greatest ef- 



q There is too common an impression, it is to be feared, in many 
minds, that the most effectual way of overcoming one error or evil, 
is by means of its opposite. Things in the natural world are refer- 
red to, as proofs and illustrations. It is said that a bent bow, or stick 
can only be straightened, by being violently drawn for a time in 
the opposite direction ; and that the earth, and other bodies are only 
kept together, and in their respective orbits, by the two opposing 
forces, the centripetal and centrifugal, which are both violently rush- 
ing to opposite extremes, but in their conflict preserve an equilibrium. 
Now, although there be many things alike in the natural and moral 
worlds, it does not follow that all things are exactly so; and, at any 
rate, it does not follow that, in the promotion of man's highest hap- 
piness, and God's greatest glory on earth, God cannot dispense with 
the service of falsehood, in order to sustain truth. Although he does 
bring good out of evil, and make even the wrath of man to praise 
him, yet we should remember that he positively forbids us to do evil 
that good may come. His truth does not stand in need of our false- 
hood for its support, although he will not allow our falsehood to des- 
troy his truth. God forbids all lukewarmness, and says it is a good 
thing, to be zealously affected ; but only in a good thing. And we 
should always remember, that if God can, and does bring good out 
of our evil, even though he has forbidden it, how much more good 
would he bring out of our good, which he hath commanded. Nor 
should we forget, that, although some good may be brought out of 
our evil, still how much evil comes of it also, to the dishonor of ourselves 
and religion: Let us therefore always try to get the truth itself, 
and oppose that, and nothing else, to error and falsehood. 

In condemnation of the principle, that "evils must be cured by their 



47 

fectiveness, it becomes them to be in unity among themselves, and 
to agree well as to the true principles of the Church which they 
would recommend to others. In order to this, they should candid- 
ly and carefully study the true meaning and design of the standards 
of the Church as maybe collected from those standards themselves 
and the other writings of their authors. 

He should be regarded as the truest Churchmen, who, so far as 
doctrine is concerned, in due subordination to the supremacy of 
scripture, is most conformed in his thoughts and views, to those 
standards, neither going beyond, or falling short of them. To re- 
quire of any to believe more than those ; and question his attach- 
ment to the Church because he does not, is as false Churchmanship, 
as to believe less, and seek to induce others to believe less also. 
To stretch the doctrine of the Church beyond her evident design, 
as evinced in the language she has used, and in her past history, is 
to sink her in the esteem of many of her own members, and to deter 
others from approaching her communion and ministry. The adop- 
tion, and the zealous and united enforcement of those things in 
which we all agree, is much more likely to be effective, than the 
positive assertion of doubtful and offensive things by some, and their 
denial by others. A house thus divided, although it may not fall, 
cannot be so inviting an abode to those who would gladly seek a 
peaceful shelter, from scenes of discord and confusion. 

In regard to the course to be pursued towards our fellow Chris- 
tians of other denominations, great is our need of heavenly wisdom 
and grace. Situated as our Church is in this country, seeking to en- 
large her borders with the rapidly increasing population, it must be, 
that conflicts of interest and opinion will take place with those who 
differ from us. Even those, who, from natural disposition as well 
as religious principle, are most disposed, as much as in them lieth, 
to live peaceably with all men, will find it at times impossible to 
avoid offence, without surrendering what they feel bound to main- 
tain. 

Surely, however, our bishops and other ministers ought to study 
most anxiously how to unite the two commanded duties at the solemn 
seasons of consecration and ordination, " to banish and drive away all 
erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word," and yet " as 
much as in them lieth to maintain quietness, peace, and love among 
all Christian people." — It must be evident also, that, in proportion 
as we adopt, and urge with vehemence, views exclusive and forbid- 
ing, we increase the hostility alluded to ; and if the same views be 



contraries," Hooker says, "we are contrarywise of opinion, that he 
who will perfectly recover a sick, and restore a diseased body unto 
health, must not endeavor so much to bring it to a state of simple 
contrariety, as of fit proportion in contrariety unto those evils which 
are to be cured. He that will take away extreme heat, by setting 
the body in extremity of cold, shall undoubtedly remove the disease, 
but together with it the diseased too," 



48 



doubtful, as well as offensive, our position becomes hazardous, and 
the opposition injurious. Even the urging unseasonably, too vehe- 
mently, and in a wrong spirit, subjects not to be neglected, may be 
hurtful to the cause which we would advance. I speak thus, not to 
advocate a cowardly silence, or that kind of latitude, which, as Bishop 
Taylor says, "has something of craft, but very little of ingenuous- 
ness ; which can only serve the ends of peace, and external charity, 
or a fantastic concord ; but not the ends of truth, and holiness, and 
christian simplicity but only to urge the duty of a most faithful 
examination of the ground which is assumed, to see if it be that which 
we can certainly maintain by an appeal to Heaven, and Heaven's 
truth ; for, as in the conflicts between the armies of earth, a right po- 
sition is most important to success, and still more, as a good cause 
is the source of true courage, and leads to perseverance, and to final 
victory ; since 

" Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just 
so it is most important, that, in those unhappy disputes which we 
have with our Christian brethren, we should be girt about with trnth, 
as well as have on the breastplate of righteousness. Otherwise we 
cannot expect the blessing of Heaven, r 

In conducting this unwillingcontest, it should also be remembered, 
that there is a difference between it, and the wars of nations. In the 
latter, no matter who be the aggressor, if a country be assailed, all 
must be equally engaged, or fall by the sword, or be driven from their 
homes, so that necessity is laid upon them to take up arms and con- 
tend, though it be unto death. In the contest for religious principles, 
none are bound to go beyond their own convictions of truth, and so 
each one may regulate his contest according to his belief that true 
religion is assailed, Nor should any, who have gone beyond the 
bounds which others conscientiously believe to be established by God 
and his Church, complain of being deserted by those who would fain 
have contended with them, side by side, for principles, and usages, 
of whose high origin they entertain no doubt. 

But if these unhappy differences cannot be settled, and all the 
Christians in our land be persuaded to more agreement and unity, 
then, at least, may God give such grace to all, that the disputes may 
be so conducted as to reflect least dishonor on the holy cause, and 
to shew that, though differing about things considered important, 
they yet acknowledge them to be not the most important. 

It is to me no slight argument in favor of the views which I have 
presented, that they are such as I believe have been generally held 



r "Whatsoever is spoken of God, or of things appertaining to God, 
otherwise than as the truth is, though it seem an honor, it is an in- 
jury. And as incredible praises given unto men, do sometimes abate 
and impair the credit of their deserved commendation ; so likewise 
we must take great heed, lest in attributing to scripture more than 
it can have, the incredibility of that, do cause even those things 
which it has most abundantly, to be less reverently esteemed." 

(Hooker, 2d Book'.) 



49 



by the Church in this country. The voice of that Church has spo- 
ken to us triennially, since its first establishment, in the pastoral let- 
ters of the House of Bishops, which, being first drawn up with care 
by the presiding Bishop, then revised by the others, and afterwards 
approved by the Clergy and Laity in General Convention, goes forth 
through all the Churches, as the expression of the sentiment of her 
chief council, on subjects of deepest importance to the welfare of Zion. 
The venerable names of White and Griswold, will not be less 
venerable from the fact, that they have been the authors of all the 
pastoral letters which have issued from the Bishops of the Church 
in this country ; and may the mild, moderate, truly Catholic, judi- 
cious and holy counsels contained therein, be ever remembered and 
followed by us ; then " shall discretion preserve us, and understand- 
ing shall keep us and, like themselves, we shall find favor both 
with God and man. s 

To you my dear brethren and friends of the Clergy and Laity in Vir- 



5 The mild and dignified conduct of the Church of England, with a 
few lamentable exceptions at an early period, and under peculiar cir- 
cumstances, chiefly to be ascribed to her connection with the Stale, 
has ever been admired. It was said in praise of one of the ancients, 
"that his moderation gave him great security in troublesome times, 
procured him friends, kept him considerate and circumspect in all he 
did; that he never overshot himself with folly, passion, and precipi- 
tancy, in words and actions," So has it been said of the wise mode- 
ration of the English Church. "She hath been judged by the most 
learned and equal judges of things, so well pitched in her principles, 
and of so rare a temper in her constitution, that she is rightly re- 
solved to ibe the best, and most proper, for arbitrating and reconcil- 
ing the differences of Christendom." Who does'not rejoice in hope 
of great good from the joint efforts of the Church of England and 
Prussia, in establishing a Bishopric at Jerusalem, where, without 
any sacrifice of real principle, the work of renovating the decayed 
churches of the East, and converting the Jews, may be attempted 
under the most favorable auspices? There were some violent church- 
men in England, who, with the Roman Catholics and a portion of 
the dissenters, opposed the measure, though from different motives ; 
but the wise counsels of the good Archbishop of Canterbury and 
the Bishop of London prevailed. These men and the great body of 
the Bishops and Clergy, rejoiced in the union; nor could they see as 
some did, a profanation in the ordinance of baptism, or a giving up 
the distinctive principles of the Church, in the act of sponsorship for 
the young heir to the English throne, on the part of the King of 
Prussia, though himself a Lutheran. 

The Church of America, hath hitherto, under the guidance of old 
and venerable heads, most of them now sunk into their graves, follow- 
ed in the path of our Anglican forefathers; and may the great Head 
of the Church vouchsafe the abundance of his grace to those on 
whom her chief government now rests, that she may in all time to 
come be so distinguished for her wise moderation, and undoubted or- 
thodoxy, and holy living, as to deserve and receive the love and res- 
pect of all men. 



50 



ginia, let me now say, that although I have, as was unavoidable, been 
speaking of general principles, yet have I, as one on whose mind a 
care for you all presseth with no little force, had you ever especi- 
ally in view. I do feel a holy jealousy in your behalf, desiring and 
praying that you may judge and act rightly in all things, for your 
own sake, and for the sake of that Church which you love, and for 
the whole cause of Christ. I do not declare unto you my senti- 
ments, as those which you are bound to receive, but offer them for 
your prayerful consideration; that, if they be agreeable to God's 
word, and the standards of our Church, you may embrace and prac- 
tise them. Although I know something of the trials and perplex- 
ities which beset you, in performing the duties which you owe 
to that branch of the Church of God committed to your trust, 
especially in endeavoring to live peaceably with all ; yet, as each 
heart of man knoweth its own bitterness, so the peculiar trials 
of each one of you is only known to himself; and to the God 
of peace and love, must you look up for wisdom to guide you aright. 
I am sure, however, that I cannot err, in entreating you to reflect 
often upon the principles which, in the preceding pages, I have en- 
deavored to enforce. In the books you read, in your thoughts and 
affections, in your conversation and arguments, in the appropria- 
tion of your time, in your judgments of others, and in all other 
things, let it be your endeavor to have due regard to the relative im- 
portance of the different subjects, watching their operation on your 
hearts, and esteeming those most highly, which make you most 
humble, most lovmg, and most faithful in all things. My prayer is, 
that not one of you may prove to be either "a spot, or wrinkle, or 
any such thing," on that glorious Church which Christ wishes to 
present unto himself, as a lovely bride, adorned with the perfect 
beauty of holiness. May you all be either pillars, or polished 
corners, or, at least, lively stones, in that spiritual temple, which is 
one day to be taken up into Heaven, and there to be glorified forever 
and ever. — Amen. 



APPENDIX. 
I. 

In illustration of the error opposed in the preceding charge, I 
would refer to two M^orks recently readj the one on baptism, the 
■other on the Lord's supper. 

That on baptism is a volume of eight hundred pages by the Rev. 
Mr. Budd, a pious minister of the Church of England, and contain- 
ing much that is most excellent. He evidently discovers a great 
jealousy of the other sacrament, (the Lord's supper) thinking that 
it is unduly valued to the injury of baptism. Although he condemns 
in the strongest terms the views of baptismal regeneration as held 
by the Oxford writers, yet is baptismal regeneration as he thinks it 
is set forth in the prayer book, and baptismal education, every thing 
in his system. Being strongly Calvinistic in his views, he regards 
the 17th article as without doubt fully with him, and containing the 
whole Gospel in few words. His praises and admiration of it as 
thus understood are unbounded. Moreover he considers it as the 
key to open the true meaning of the baptismal office, which he 
thinks contains the same doctrine, as well as the whole Liturgy. 
Mr. Budd is a most zealous advocate for extempore preaching, exhor- 
tation, and exposition of scripture, and has many excellent arguments 
in their behalf, while he shows no quarter to any written discourses. 
Here again the fixed idea is upon him, for he considers not only that 
the explaining the baptismal service, and the catechism to children 
is the best mode of teaching extemporaneous eloquence to ministers, 
but that the best mode of correcting the whine and monotony of 
voice in children, and preparing them for extempore preaching is 
the use of the baptismal service and catechism. It would be amus- 
ing to see into what excess this pious writer is carried by his undue 
partiality for one of God's appointments, were it not painful to think 
how a good cause is injured by it. Whoever has the work will 
find the above no extravagant exhibition of it. 

The other work alluded to, is that of Dr. Vicesimus Knox on the 
Lord's supper. This is an abridgement of a much larger treatise. 
Contrary to Mr. Budd, he thinks the Eucharist "a more important 
sacrament than baptism, and much more effectual than instruction by 
hearing, because they are merely initiatory, but the Eucharist is per- 
fective." "If any part of religious service is allowed to be effectual 
in procuring grace and pardon and salvation, the Eucharist is much 
more." "All modes of instruction, such as preaching and "reading'; 
all modes of devotion, except the idolatrous, certainly tend to pro- 
cure grace, and that portion of grace so procured, may by the grace 
of God be sufficent for us; but these are all preparatory to the great 
opportunity afforded in the Eucharist, for changing our hearts entire- 
ly, for our participation of the divine nature." Section 7th. He 
speaks in section 9th of "Sacramental Communion as being without 
doubt one of the most certain means of accomplishing this union 
with the Deity, because it is the means instituted by our Saviour." 
But are not all other means instituted also? Divines differ in opinion 
as to the application of those passages in the 6th chapter of St. John, 
which speak of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ, 
and partaking of the bread of life, some thinking that there was no 



52 



special reference to the last supper, although of course including 
that, as well as all other means of communion with Christ. Dr. 
Knox affirms that Christ especially spoke of that by anticipation, 
and not only so, but maintains that the Lord's praye* was in like 
manner given by anticipation for use in the Lord's supper. He is 
confident that the expression, "give us our daily bread," has no re- 
ference whatever to temporal sustenance, but particularly to the food 
ot Christ's body in the Lord's supper, which was daily administered 
in the primitive Church ; and the prayer for forgiveness of sins fol- 
lowing next to that for daily bread, had reference to that pardon 
of sin, which is especially given in the Lord's supper. "I have no 
doubt (he says) our Saviour appointed this prayer with a particular 
view to the celebration of the Eucharist, which he soon after insti- 
tuted; and christians guided by tradition from the Apostles, in the ear- 
liest times of Christianity, applied the Lord's prayer almost exclu- 
sively to the sacraments of the Lord's supper, which was then 
received every day." The faithful alone, he tells us, were permit- 
ted to say this prayer, which was called the "prayer of the faithful," 
because "they only could with propriety pray in the fourth clause 
for the bread of life " Section 12. 

As to the petition for forgiveness of sins he says, "I have no 
hesitation in saying that this clause must have a particular reference 
to remission of sins as annexed to the worthy reception of the Eu- 
charistical elements." Section 12. 

If it be true, that this prayer is only for the faithful, and that the 
petition for daily bread and pardon of sin, were designed by our 
Lord, to be specially for his body and blood, and remission of sin, 
as promised in the sacrament, then has our Church done wrong in 
appointing it to be used in every office of the prayer book, and 
even in every morning and evening of family prayer by all pre- 
sent. Or else, it must be admitted that she thinks we may be- 
come partakers of our Lord, and have this bread of life at some 
other times than at the Lord's table. It is due to Mr. Knox to state, 
that he admits this. "This spiritual food there is no doubt, is every 
day given to them who ask it with faith and true penitence." "But 
it is probable that larger portions of giace are bestowed, in a rite of 
his own institution, when worthily performed, than by prayer alone." 

This is a concession which some of those who belong to a school 
in which he may be considered a leader, would scarce be willing 
to make. In this, as in many other cases, the disciples soon go be- 
yond their masters ; and were Knox now alive, he might wonder to 
see what advances have been made in a doctrine which he no 
doubt very piously set forth. In another sentiment also he would 
find himself utterly condemned by many of our day. I allude to 
his opinion of the comprehensiveness of the Church, which I will 
place in connexion with those of some others. 

II. 

The sentiments of Mr. Knox and others as to membership with the 
Christian Church. 
"Accordmg to the plain deductions from scripture, mankind are 
divided into two distinct tribes, those who belong to the kingdom of 



53 



Christ, and those who belong to the world. The kingdom of Christ 
is the Catholic Church; but here it must be observed, that the Church 
comprehends all true believers in Christ, in every part of Christen- 
dom, laity, as well as clergy, however distinguished by different 
names, or subdivided into national, or other less numerous sects or so- 
cieties. It is the Catholic Church that is meant, when it is contra- 
distinguished from the world, it is the grand society which is united 
to Jesus Christ, as the limbs to the head of the body." Section 24. 
Bishop Jeremy Taylor's opinion. 

"For though it be uncertain when a man is a member of the 
Church, whether he be a member to Christ or no ; because in the 
Church's nets are fishes good and bad ; yet we may be sure, that if 
we be members of Christ, we are of a Church to all purposes of 
spiritual religion and salvation. And in order to this, give me leave 
to speak this great truth. He then states that whoever is baptised, 
improves his religious opportunities, partakes of our Lord's supper, 
as it may be had, worships God in public and private, and exhibits an 
holy life." "That man does as certainly belong to God, and is his 
son, as surely as he is his creature." Epistle dedicatory to his 
Holy Living. 

Hooker^s opinion. 

"Whereupon because the only object which separateth ours from 
other religions, is Jesus Christ, in whom none but the Church doth 
believe, and whom none but the Church doth worship, we find that 
the Apostles do every where distinguish hereby, the Church from in- 
fidels and Jews; accounting them that call upon the name of the Lord 
Je*us Christ to be his Church. If we go lower, we shall but add, unto 
this, certain casual and variable accidents, which are not properly 
of the being; but which make only for the happier and better being 
of the Church of God, either in deed, or in man's opinions and con- 
ceits- This is the error of all Popish definitions that hitherto have 
been brought. They define not the Church by what the Church essen- 
tially is, but by that wherein they imagine their own more perfect 
than the rest are. Touching parts of eminency and perfection, parts 
likewise of imperfection and defect, in the Church of God they are 
infinite; their degrees and differences, no way possible to be drawn 
unto any certain account. There is not the least contention and 
variance, but it blemisheth somev/hat the unity that ought to be in 
the Church of Christ, which notwithstanding may have not only 
without offence, or breach of concord, her manifold varieties in rites 
and ceremonies of religion, but also her strifes and contentions many 
times, and that about matters of no small importance, yea, her schisms 
and factions, and such other evils, whereunto the body of the Church 
is subject, sound and sick, both remaining of the same body, as long 
as both parts retain, by outward profession, that vital substance of 
truth, which maketh Christian religion to differ from theirs, which 
acknowledge not our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed Saviour of mankind 
give no credit to his glorious gospel, and have his sacraments, the 
seals of eternal life in derision." Ecclesiastical Polity, 5th 
book. 



54 



The opinion of Dean Sherlock. 

"Schism and separation is a breach of the external and visible 
communion of the Church, not of the essential unity of it. The 
Church is one Church still, whatever breaches and schisms there are 
in its external communion; for the union of the Catholic Church 
consists of the whole to Christ, which makes them one body in 
him; not in the external communion of the several parts of it to 
each other. And therefore it is not a separation from one another, 
but only a separation from Christ, which is a separation from the 
Catholic Church. There may be one Lord — one faith — one bap- 
tism, to those who are not in external communion one with another. 
There may be therefore a spiritual relationship, when through infirmi- 
ty of the flesh, that relationship is not recognized, and does not 
issue in communion; just as men may be members of one family, 
who do not live together in friendly communion, as of one family." 

JII. 

The Bishop of Londonh opinion as to the claims of ministerial 

power. 

Having expressed a sentiment on the subject of the ministry in 
the foregoing charge, I would subjoin the following from the charge 
of a bishop, whose high and responsible position and whose 
energy and decision of character unite in preserving him from the 
least surrender of any lawful and scriptural authority. " If it be 
an error leading to, and partaking of the nature of schism, to deny 
or undervalue that authority, it is on the other hand injurious to the 
cause of truth and piety, to exaggeiate it, and stretch its prerogative 
beyond that which has the sure warrant of the word of God. Those 
persons who are driven by the overstrained pretensions of the clergy 
to question, are allmost sure to deny them their just rights. " 
" As to our priesthood, let us beware of arrogating to ourselves the 
character of mediators between God and man, in any sense which 
implies, that we can stand between them and their judge, except 
^viih. reference to that mysterious efficacy which belongs to the chris- 
tian intercession, by whomsoever ofiered, if offered in faith. " As 
to the authority of the Romish priests he says, "for a spiritual au- 
thority not so limited (that is, by laws) in the hands of fallible and 
imperfect men, would be perverted as in the example of Rome, to 
the ends of an intolerable tyranny over the secret thoughts and con- 
sciences, as well as the outward acts and observances of those who 
should be subject to it." — Bishop of London's Charge. 

IV. 

The ivise moderation of the Reformers. 
"But to me it does appear that without attributing to them an in- 
fallibility which they expressly disclaim, we may justly give our 
Reformers credit for such sound views, and such resolute adherence 
to evangelical truth, combined with such moderation and discretion, 
as were, considering the difficult circumstances they were placed in, 
truly wonderful; and such as are in all times, and not least in the 
present, well worthy of imitation. It was their " wisdom to keep 



55 



the mean (as it is expressed in the preface to the book of Common 
Prayer) between the two extremes, of too much stiffness in refus- 
ing, and too much easiness in admitting, any variation. " It was 
their wisdom also to "keep the mean, between the claims, never 
conflicting, except when misunderstood— of scripture, and of a 
church. It was their wisdom to keep the mean between a slavish 
bondage to ancient precedents on the one hand, and a wanton and 
arrogant disregard of them on the other. It was their wisdom, their 
pious and christian wisdom, to keep the mean between rash and un- 
charitable judgment of other churches, and equally rash carelessness, 
or fondness for innovation, in the regulations of their own. They 
conformed as closely, as in their judgment circumstances would 
warrant, to the examples of the earliest churches without, for a mo- 
ment abandoning the rightful claims of their own, and without ar- 
rogantly pronouncing censure on those whose circumstances had 
led them to depart further from those ancient precedents. Their 
faith they drew from the scriptures ; their hope they based on the 
scriptures ; their charity they learned from the scriptures. " 

The foregoing extract is taken from a recent work of Archbishop 
Whately on the Kingdom of Christ, which has been republished and 
widely circulated in our country. If the author of this note may 
be allowed an opinion, the work has more of merit than some have 
been disposed to allow, and more of error than others are willing 
to admit. One error we think it has in common with those whose 
views it is opposing. Some of the Tractarians maintained that the 
scriptures were comparatively silent on the subject of the ministry 
of the Church and of some other things belonging to the outward 
arrangement thereof, and that our Lord and the apostles purposely 
designed this, that such honor and duty might be assigned to tra- 
dition — the unwritten word. One of them affirms that our Lord 
purposely omitted to fill up the vacancy in the apostleship occasion- 
ed by the treason and death of Judas, during the interval between 
his resurrection and ascension, leaving that task to the eleven, thus 
to show how he had given them and their successoi-s all power to 
perpetuate his kingdom. So also is it positively aflirmed that the 
Holy Ghost either omitted altogether, or merely alluded to, some- 
things, which were more fully committed to oral tradition. Arch- 
bishop Whately also affirms, though for a very different object, that 
but little is said in scripture as to the form of Church government, that 
there is a studious omission of any thing like a regular creed, oi con- 
fession, or liturgy, or catechism, or baptismal or communion service, 
all of which he doubts not were used in the time of the apostles 
and by them. He expresses his undoubted conviction that the Holy 
Ghost purposely withheld the sacred writers from committing any of 
these things to the canonical scriptures, lest it should be supposed 
that they were intended for perpetual use, and no variation al- 
lowed, whereas such forms and ceremonies ought to be subject to 
some modification according to times and circumstances. But is 
it so certain, in the first place^ that in the infancy of the Church and 
in the times of full inspiration there were all these full confessions, 
catechisms, liturgies, offices, etc ? If they were not contained in 



56 



scripture would they not have found their way by tradition, in other 
books, etc. At any rate is any one justified in doing as the arch- 
bishop and the Oxford writers have done, viz. entering into the 
mind of our Lord and the Holy Ghost and undertaking positively 
to say what reasons induced them to cause certain omissions in 
the sacred record } " Is not this being wise above which is written 
If one person, or one party, be allowed thus to speculate on the se- 
cret unrevealed design of God, and build a system upon it, why not 
others Is not this the error against which good Archbishop Leight- 
tou warns "being too confident in doubtful things?" 

There is another position assumed by the archbishop the very op- 
posite extreme to that of his opponents. While he expresses his 
firm conviction, that the Episcopal Church in its main features is 
conformed to that established by the apostles, and that it was most 
proper to have respect to that pattern, yet does he seem with too 
much latitudinarianism to allow, not merely that strong necessity 
may excuse a deviation, but that expediency might be the rule to 
decide upon the adoption or rejection of some of those features in 
the organization of the Church which have come down from apos- 
tolic times and which are justly held sacred by us. It is true that 
he seeks to guard the exercise of this right of change by many 
warnings against its abuse, but after all, the tendency of this part of 
the work is too favorable to those loose views which are adopted 
and acted on by many in our day to the injury of good order in 
the Church of God. We have been informed that this defect is 
acknowledged, and condemned by some not of our own communion, 
and whose opinion deserves to be respected. 

As some form of Church government must be adopted by us, if 
the apostles established any in the various churches they planted, 
and we can ascertain with tolerable accuracy from scripture and early 
history what it was, we ought certainly to embrace it, and since 
human nature is the same in'every age, why should it ever be changed ? 
If under the Jewish dispensation and under apostolic discipline, di- 
vers orders of ministers were good for the government of the Church 
of God, and if the same has been continued down to us, how can 
any believing this to be so, for a moment consent to the thought 
of a change, on any other ground than that of strong necessity and 
with the acknowledged dut}^ of a return to it when that necessity is 
removed. As to the general character of the work of Archbishop 
Whately, the author felt strengthened in the views he had taken 
of it by the opinion of our late presiding Bishop, expressed to 
him in the last interview he was privileged to have with that wise 
and holy man. He may make the same remark as to the princi- 
ples advocated throughout the foregoing charge. Bishop Griswold 
deeply regretted a disposition to excess which he thought was 
manifested in some of our young ministers especially, in regard to 
things more doubtful and less important. Had his valuable life been 
spared to another General Convention, he thought of selecting as 
the subject of a Pastoral Letter, the nature and use of the sacra- 
ments concerning which he expressed a fear that some wrong views 
were entertained. 



